Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

What's for dinner?  Tonight at our house it's pork tenderloin.  I haven't made this recipe before, so I hope it's as good as it sounds.

Click here to see this at allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler

This yummy looking cake seems to be part dump cake part lava cake.  It could be a fun new addition to Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler from Lauren's Latest
Click here to visit original source for more gorgeous pictures and instructions.

PUMPKIN PECAN COBBLER

Yield: 8 servings  Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 40 minutes  Total Time: 50 minutes 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups very hot water

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, stir pumpkin, milk, melted butter and vanilla together to combine. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix to create a thick batter. Pour into a small 8-inch casserole dish with high sides. 

In a separate bowl, stir sugar, brown sugar and pecans together. Spread over the top of the batter evenly. Pour hot water over the entire thing {WITHOUT STIRRING A THING!} and bake for 40 minutes or once the middle is set. {Be sure to place on a baking sheet incase it bubbles over.} Cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with more pecans and vanilla ice cream.

Chicken With Artichoke Hearts, Olives, and Capers

Doesn't this just look delicious???  Thanks to my friend Marilyn for sharing this recipe on Facebook.  I can't wait to try it!

Chicken With Artichoke Hearts, Olives, and Capers

Ingredients:

8 skinned and boned chicken thighs or 2 skinned and boned chicken breasts (cut breasts in halves and then in half crosswise)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, crushed
3/4 cup dry red wine
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
One 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/4 cup pitted green olives, such as Greek or French in brine, cut in half
1/4 cup pitted black olives, such as kalamata, cut in half
2 tablespoons drained capers
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, a few pieces at a time, 4 minutes total for each batch (2 minutes for breasts). Remove browned chicken pieces to a platter.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until translucent and beginning to lightly brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits and incorporate them into the liquid. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the artichokes, both kinds of olives, and the capers. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is done, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Stove Top Pizza

A friend shared this video on Facebook this morning and I was kind of skeptical. Homemade pizza finished in under 30 minutes? Hmmm... I watched the video and am no longer skeptical that it can be done. Now I'm curious about the taste of the dough. I guess I'll have to buy some self rising flour and try it for myself.

For convenience, here is the ingredient list from the video.

Also, the video doesn't tell you what temp to cook at.  Someone asked, Chefs Toolbox answered.

This is a promotional video created by an Australian cookware company.  I don't know if they ship their products to the U.S. because I didn't investigate.  I plan to use my All Clad saute pan, which is similar in size, and just set the lid askew when it's time to open the vents.  

Robert's Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Our friend Robert invited us to a party last weekend.  He served a plethora of delicious Mexican themed foods, but my favorite was the slow cooker shredded chicken he made for chicken tacos.  He graciously shared his "thrown together" (as he put it) recipe.  Of course he made a party amount so you can divide this recipe as you need to suit your family or do what I did and make the whole thing so there will be plenty for the freezer.

Robert's Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

(I'm not a food photographer.  This photo came from the Kraft website.)

Ingredients:

6 boneless chicken breasts

4 C. Water

1 medium size (16 oz.) bottle picante sauce 

1 small can (10 oz.) red enchilada sauce

4 packets chicken taco seasoning

1 large onion, diced

handful (about half a cup or to taste) shredded cilantro

taco shells or tortillas

taco toppings as preferred 

     (I like them with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded Mexican cheese blend and avocados or guacamole.)

Directions:

Put everything except shells and toppings in the slow cooker.  Cook on high 4-6 hours.  Stir occasionally, shredding chicken as you can.  At the end of this time, shred the rest of the chicken and cook on low for another hour.  

Serve with shells or tortillas and toppings.  Smile because it's SO good.  

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

 I totally forgot I had this recipe till I started this little project, but since my eight year old simply loves baked beans, I'm happy to have rediscovered it!  I don't know yet what we'll have with them, but I'm pretty sure we should have these beans at some point this weekend.  The best part about this recipe is, this looks easy enough that my daughter can help me make them!

*quick reminder - I did not create this recipe.  I copied/pasted it from some forgotten website several years ago and it's been lounging in my email archives.  If it's yours, please alert me not only so that I can direct traffic your way, but also because I'm sure you have more yummy stuff I need to make.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Ingredients:

12 oz. Salt Pork, chopped into small strips

1 large onion, chopped

2 lbs. Michigan Navy Beans (if you can't find Michigan, just use Navy Beans!)

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup Ketchup

3 Tbsp. Mustard

7 cups Water

Directions:

Sort your beans to make sure there are no rocks/bad beans.

Soak them in water overnight, with at enough water to cover them plus 4"

In the morning, drain and rinse your beans.

Spray your Slow Cooker Liner with non-stick spray.

Place half of your salt pork at the bottom.

Add half the beans

Top that with half of the onions.

Mix together the Brown Sugar, Ketchup and Mustard.

Pour half of this over the onion layer.

Repeat this process with the remaining salt pork, beans, onions and sauce.

Pour in your 7 cups of water.

Cover and cook on LOW for 12+ hours.  

When the mixture has thickened and turned brow, the beans are done!  If you'd like them even thicker, leave the lid off and continue cooking, checking often, until they reach desired consistency.