Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

I found this recipe on pintrest and my family loved it so it is now a staple dinner in our home. This is another recipe that is easy to throw together because I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

1 stick of butter (or you can use as less as desired)
1-2 lbs. chicken breasts or tenders

1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup chicken broth
1 packet of dry italian dressing mix

Place the stick of butter in the bottom of the crock pot and melt. Add chicken, lemon juice and chicken broth. Sprinkle packet of italian dressing mix over the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Shred chicken and serve over rice or egg noodles. (I use my kitchen aid to shred chicken. Just put the cooked chicken into the bowl of your kitchen aid and use the beater attachment to mix on low for 30-60 seconds until chicken is shredded, then add back into the juices in the crock pot).

Beef Stroganoff

This was my grandma's recipe, and despite the fact that I'm not a big meat eater, I love it.  It was perfect for a comforting Sunday dinner on a crisp fall night, and makes 6-8 generous portions.  It's unlike a lot of other stroganoff recipes in that instead of being creamy and white sauce-based, it's tomato-based.  You can stir in 1/2 cup or so of sour cream at the end to make it creamier, but I like it as is.

2 1/2 pounds beef, cut in 1/2 inch cubes (I use top round, trimmed of fat)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 large onion, diced
1 can sliced mushrooms (opt.) or scant 1/4 cup beef broth
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce or 2/3 cup tomato juice
salt & pepper
1 1/2 pound cooked pasta or rice

In a brown paper bag, toss cubed beef with flour until lightly coated.  Melt all but 1 Tbs. of butter in large skillet.  Brown beef on both sides, but don't worry about cooking it through (about 5 minutes).  Remove beef from skillet.  Melt remaining butter in skillet, the saute onions until softened.  Add in can of sliced mushrooms and their juice (or beef broth), tomato sauce  (or tomato juice), and browned beef.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low.  Simmer on lowest heat for approximately 1 hour, until beef is tender.  Crockpot option:  empty skillet into crockpot with additional 1/4 cup liquid, and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours until meat is tender.

When meat is tender, serve over cooked pasta or rice (I like whole wheat egg noodles or penne).  

Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

This isn't much of a recipe, but the flavor is so yummy and unique.  I brought them to a Super Bowl party along with this pasta salad and this caramel apple dip, and they were a huge hit.  We had the leftovers in toasted rolls with melted provolone, spinach, onions, and peppers, and they were fabulous too. 

1 jar grape jelly
1 jar salsa (I used Pace Picante-medium)
1/2 bag frozen meatballs (I used the Italian-style ones from Costco)

Mix equal parts grape jelly and salsa, then pour over meatballs in the crockpot.  Cook 4-6 hours, or until jelly has melted into sauce and meatballs are heated through.

Taco Soup

So I am done with Girlfriends Kitchen and have started cooking again. This is my first recipe contribution. It is a crockpot hamburger recipe. Sorry I am month late since this was a February request.

1/2 lb browned hamburger
1 can kidney beans
1 can pork and beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 pkg of taco seasoning

Combine above ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 4 -6 hours. Serve over tortilla chips with shredded cheese and sour cream on top.