Crock Pot Lasagna

I was hesitant about this one, would the noodles get soggy? Would it taste like a good lasagna, cause I love a good lasagna. I was pleasantly surprised! I made a homemade sauce but you can always use a jar of your own favorite sauce.

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 26oz box/can strained tomatoes (we're a huge fan of Pomi)
chopped onion
2 tsp garlic
1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup basil
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup parmesean
15 oz container ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella
1 whole egg
lasagna noodles, uncooked

In large skillet ground beef and onion, add garlic.
Pour in strained tomatoes (or jar of sauce). I wanted a bolognese type sauce so this is where I added the heavy whipping cream (can be omitted) 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/4 cup basil. Let simmer for 5 minutes
Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, egg and remaining basil.
Spray crock pot with non stick spray
Pour in 1 cup of sauce, place noodles on top (break into pieces to make fit if necessary), layer cheese. Continue until last layer is sauce.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours (depends on temperature of your crock pot, mine was done at 3 1/2, then I turned on to warm.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and let cook an additional 10 minutes until melted.
Serve

Crock Pot Ham Bone Soup

The question of what to do with leftover ham bone, there is so much good flavor and meat leftover on that bone you don't want any of it to go to waste. After Easter dinner, I started trying to come up with the perfect recipe for the ham bone. Seeing how much I love my crock pot it all just made sense to put together a soup that included the ham bone. Looking at our bone we assumed we'd eaten just about all the meat, boy were we wrong. After sitting in the crock pot for 7 hours we were shocked to see how much meat we still had.

Crock Pot Ham Bone Soup
1 ham bone with some leftover meat (ours was frozen)
1 onion diced
1 can crushed/diced tomatoes
1 can beans, drained & rinsed (we used great northern bean, kidney will be good to)
3 potatoes, cubed
1 bell pepper (we used yellow)
4 carrots chopped
4 celery stalks chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 tsp garlic

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours.
The ham bone itself has so much flavor there is no need to add any additional spices.

Crock Pot Fajitas

This was probably one of the easiest/quickest recipes I've thrown together. Just 4 ingredients and you're done.

Crock Pot Fajitas
1 lb flank steak cut into strips (you could use any meat you want for this recipe)
2 bell peppers sliced
1 onion sliced
1/2 a jar salsa (what ever is you're favorite, I use a salsa verde from Trader Joes)

That's it, place all in crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours.
We served with tortillas, guacamole, cilantro, cheese and more green sauce.
Enjoy!!!

Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana

Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana
1 lb Italian Sausage
1/2 lb bacon chopped
chopped potatoes (I added 4 medium sized potatoes)
2 cups chicken both
4 cups water
1 medium onion chopped
2 tsp garlic
1 cup kale
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Chop sausage into bite sized pieces and brown sausage in skillet and add to crock pot
Brown bacon until crisp, drain and add to crock pot
Place water, broth, potatoes, onion and garlic into crock pot
Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours, until potatoes are tender
Add kale and whipping cream and stir to combine, cook on low an additional 30 minutes
***recipe called for 1lb bacon cooked in skillet and added to crock pot, personally although I LOVE bacon I didn't think the recipe "needed a full lb", so I cut it to 1/2 lb.

Crock Pot Chinese Beef Strips with Snow Peas

I'm always looking for things to change up our weekly dinners, and I really like to utilize the crock pot as it gives daddy time to play with the kiddos or for all of us to go for a walk/bike ride after daddy gets home from work.  Seeing that daddy is usually the "cook" in the house (he really enjoys it, is really good at it and by the time he gets home I just need 10 minutes to myself), the days I crock pot are a break for him too. So I venture onto new recipes every once in a while, this week I found 4 to try. Last night we tried the first of the 4 and it was good. Here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Chinese Beef Strips w/ Snow Peas
1 lb flank steak (sliced into strips)
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic
1 bunch green onions
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 can bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 cup snow peas

Combine steak, beef broth, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and 2 chopped green onions in crock pot.
Cook on low for 5-7 hours
Turn to high. Dissolve 2 Tbsp cornstarch with the 2 Tbsp cold water. Stir into crock pot and mix well
Cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened
During last 7 minutes (I like my snow peas still crunchy) add water chestnuts, bamboo and snow peas.
Serve over white rice.

Crock Pot Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding soup, named for how well the ingredients "marry."

I searched for a few recipes to finally find one that I liked and then I altered it and have mastered it by making it a few times. I love this soup because it's a great combination of flavors and really easy to make. 

Crock Pot Italian Wedding Soup
  Meatballs
1 lb ground beef
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped basil
  Soup
4 cups chicken stock
2 scoops Herbs de Provence
1/2 cup onion chopped
chopped celery
chopped carrots
1 tbsp garlic
2 small bay leaves
1/4 chopped basil
2 cups kale (or spinach, escarole...your favorite "green")
1/2 cup cooked pasta (I like to use acini di pepe)
Parmesan cheese for serving

Mix together meatballs and form into small balls.
Cook @ 350 for 10-15 minutes turning half way through
While meatballs are cooking place all soup ingredients in crock pot, excluding the kale and pasta.
When meatballs are done in the oven place in soup
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours
1/2 hour before ready to eat add pasta and kale
Serve with Parmesan

Crockpot Coconut Braised Pork

This was such a simple recipe and it turned out so good and moist!

Crockpot Coconut Braised Pork
2 tbsp oil (I used sesame but can use any)
1 lb pork (I used tenderloin) cut into 2 inch chunks
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 1/2 cup coconut water
1 can coconut milk (optional)*
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
5-6 scallions chopped

Cooked white rice

Heat large skillet with oil. In batches sear off the meat browning well on all sides, about 15 minutes total.
Transfer meat to crock pot, add the fish sauce and coconut water (make sure the meat is covered by about two-thirds if not add more coconut water.
Turn slow cooker on low for about 8 hours.
Serve with white rice, using some of the braising liquid on the rice.
Toss chopped cilantro and scallions on for extra flavor.
*For extra coconut flavor use the can of coconut milk

Coconut Buttermilk Pound Cake

I love me some coconut, so much that the top we had two of our wedding cake tiers as coconut. I search out recipes and have been disappointed by many of the ones I've tried, but this one is amazing and easy! As you can tell below I couldn't even get a picture of it whole as once I took a tiny taste I needed more. I omitted the frosting as I didn't want it overly sweet and I really enjoyed it without the frosting.

Coconut Buttermilk Pound Cake
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut (toast the coconut if you would like, I didn't)

Frosting:
2 tbsp buttermilk
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup confectioners sugar
(after cake has completely cooled, whisk together and drizzle over the top of cake)

Preheat oven to 350
Butter and flour a loaf pan
Whisk together flour & baking powder
In large bowl using a mixer beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy (about 8 minutes)
Add vanilla and then eggs one at a time beating well and scraping bowl down in between
With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with two 1/2 cup additions of buttermilk and beat until combined
With a rubber spatula fold in coconut
Pour in pan and bake for 60 minutes (or until knife inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached)
Let cool in pan on baking rack
Remove from pan and drizzle with frosting

Oatmeal Bars

Sorry I've been MIA we went through a period of everyone in the house being sick and seeing that kids seem to be fine during the day and then the minute the sun goes down they start their coughing and sneezing and all around feeling awful we spent many a night walking little kids in the cold air trying to help their coughing. But I'm back and will try to get to posting again.
I wanted to share this recipe that I recently found thanks to a friend testing a Pinterest recipe. What I love about this recipe is that it's a functional recipe similar to my scone recipe that I love so much.
Here's the basic recipe and then I'll give you some "alterations to it"

Oatmeal Bars
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp melted butter or 7 tbsp coconut oil
1 lg egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, coconut, baking powder and salt.
Add egg and vanilla to melted butter and combine with dry ingredients.
Cook @350 for 20-25 minutes
***Can use mini muffin pan and then cook for 18-20 minutes.

Ok so that is the basic recipe, but what I really love about this is all the additions you can add.
I've really been into coconut oil so yesterday I made this same recipe but substituted the butter for 7 tbsp coconut oil (needed a little additional to keep the bars moist enough).
*****I also use whatever I have in the house to change up the flavor. I add 1/2 cup of whatever item it is I want to add.
Here's some ideas:
Chocolate chips, flax seeds, frozen blueberries, dried cranberries, walnuts, white chocolate chips, the options are endless and that's what I love about this recipe. It'll taste different every time so no one is tired of the "same old thing."
Try it out, change it up, and enjoy it!!!

Homemade Play Doh

Seeing that I'm a mom to 3 young kids I don't always cook just food, sometimes I also cook crafts. In this case I have found a perfect play doh recipe. What I love is I can make it fresh anytime we want it and in any color, it also has a good shelf life (ours lasts about a month or so). Yesterday we made yellow and purple (it was supposed to be purple mind you it definitely looks more gray) and seeing it's winter and we don't get "snow" here we decided to make play doh snowmen. Which is good seeing that I would never let me kids build a snowman with yellow and gray snow.

Enjoy!!!!


Homemade Play Doh
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp oil
1 cup water
food coloring

Mix first 4 ingredients in pot and add water.
Cook over medium heat stirring constantly 3-5 minutes
Dough will become difficult to stir and clump together at that point it's done.
Turn out onto flat surface and knead for 5 minutes adding food coloring of your choice