Easy Cheesy 3 Ingredient Crockpot Potatoes

My family loves potatoes.  They are an amazing food.  There are so many things that can done with them!  Here's one recipe I threw together the other night.  It disappeared rather quickly. 

5-6 large baking potatoes

8 oz bottle Itallian salad dressing

1 lb cheese; shredded

Slice potatoes thin.  Put in 6 Qt or larger crockpot.  Pour Italian dressing over potatoes and stir to mix.  

Add cheese, and mix well about 3 hours into cooking.  

Cook High 6-8 hours or Low 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender.  

 

Ice Mocha Frappé

I will be the first to admit that I drink way too much coffee.  It's my favorite drink.  Sometimes I'll sneak it into my food, like in the broth with a roast.  Ice Frappés are a yummy treat for me though.  

With minutes you can blend your own yummy frappé.  I like my coffee sweet, so if you don't like them quite as sweet, start with half the sugar and add more if needed.  

I start off with 1/2 cup coarse ground coffee in my French Press.  i add 28oz boiling water, stir, put the lid on (don't press the plunger), and set the timer for 4 minutes.  Every minute just give it a stir.  After 4 minutes, push the plunger down.  Strain and cool the coffee you plan to use for the frappé.  Drink the rest.  ;)

For the frappé:

1 1/2 cups coffee; chilled

1/2 cup milk (or 1/2 & 1/2)

4 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp chocolate syrup

3 cups ice, plus more as desired

Whipped cream 

Directions

In a blender, puree coffee, milk, sugar, and ice. For a thicker consistency, add more ice and blend.  For mocha frappé, add chocolate sauce while blending.

Pour into 2 glasses, and top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce if desired. Serve immediately.

Hannah's Mock Pumpkin Pie

For some reason we were blessed with a surplus of 29 oz cans of yams in syrup.  Someone gave us a box of them last year.  Don't get me wrong.  I am a huge sweet potato and yam fan.  I generally eat them baked or in soups though.  So I was left with wondering what to do with all these canned yams in syrup. 

I gave my 11 year old daughter, Hannah, the idea and she went with it.  She wanted Pumpkin Pie, and it turned out amazing.  

2 eggs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can (29 oz) yams in syrup

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 450°

Drain the yams; discard the syrup.  Mash the yams until smooth.  Mix in the flour, salt, sugar, and spices.  Mix in the slightly beaten egg, then slowly add the evaporated milk, mixing until well blended. Pour the batter into the unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 325° and continue baking pie for an additional 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the mixture comes out clean.

Roasted Garlic

There is nothing better, and more practical, than roasted garlic.  It's easy, and it's healthy. 

Peel 4 bulbs of garlic

Put in an oven proof dish (I use a coffee cup) that is large enough to hold them all, but not too large

Pour extra virgin olive oil over garlic until just covering

Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the oil 

Bake 1 hour at 350°

When the garlic is tender and brown it is done.  If it over cooks, it will get hard.  

Easy Crockpot Oatmeal

Some mornings it's nice to wake up and breakfast is already done. This is another great crockpot meal that is incredibly fast to prepare, and is really yummy.


Crockpot Oatmeal

4 cups oats (not quick cooking kind)
10 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Combine in crockpot.
Cover with lid.
Turn to warm for 8 hours.

It's a full crockpot of oatmeal. ;)


Add raisins, cranberries, fruit, peanut butter, or whatever strikes your fancy before serving.

No Bake Bar Cookies

No Bake Bar Cookies

2 cups sugar
4 Tb cocoa
1 stick butter (unsalted)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats (rolled)

In heavy saucepan combine sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk. Bring to rolling boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Stir quickly until combined. Add oats. Mix well, working fast before mixture cools.

Lightly butter/oil 9x13 pan. Spread and press cookie mixture into pan. Let cool completely. Cut into squares.

Crockpot Teriyaki Beef

We have a big family. This is the amount for 10 people, but we generally eat seconds and there's a little left over. In other words, this is about 15-20 servings (since my little ones get small servings).


Crockpot Teriyaki Beef

5 lbs Beef chuck roast; cubed inch pieces
1/2 a #10 can of Pineapple Tidbits with juice
1 - 12 oz jar Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze
1 cup Brown sugar
6 cloves garlic; minced
2 cups Beef Broth
1 Tb sriracha sauce
1 tsp Sesame Chili Oil (found in Asian markets)
1/8 cup soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (Lea & Perrins)


Cube beef into inch pieces. Add to 6 Qt crockpot.

Put pineapple over top of beef chunks.

Mix all other ingredients. Pour over beef and pineapple. Cover with lid. Turn to high. Cook 4-6 hours, until beef is tender.

Serve over rice.