Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Jennifer S.

OK folks this is going to be an easy one!!

Make up one batch of Chicken Taco Meat
The last 30 minutes of cook time add one bag of peppers and onions from the frozen section. Just make sure that they are thawed first. OR you can thinly slice half a red pepper, half a green pepper (or yellow or orange or.....) and 1/4 of a large white onion to add during the last hour of cook time. Stir well into the chicken and juices.
I have to do the peppers/onions in a pan off to the side. My kids are "separatists".
Shred chicken. Wrap up in warm tortillas with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and avocados.
I also made Red Mexican Rice and some Refried Beans to go along with the fajitas.

French Toast Bake for the Crock Pot

Jennifer S.
When French Toast Bake is being made it smells like heaven in the whole household. No candle could ever compete with the smell of french toast! Its perfect for the Holidays and weekends because it gives you more time to be with your relatives or guests.
This French Toast Bake Recipe for the crock pot makes a great breakfast for dinner! My family thinks breakfast for dinner (Brinner) is amazing. I love to set the crock pot in the afternoon and let the whole house fill with the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla.

1 loaf of Bread. I don’t recommend wheat bread generally though honey wheat is pretty good. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl is to die for, or a challah bread works too. A loaf of day old french or Italian is also best as french toast. I usually use a loaf of Texas Toast Bread.
1 dozen Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
4 cups Milk
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cardamon~ optional
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
Butter and Syrup (extra butter for crock pot)
Powdered sugar

Break up bread, or slice, in half pieces.
Combine eggs, vanilla, milk, salt, spices, and brown sugar.
I’d recommend if you are using a hardier or more stale bread, dunking the pieces of bread individually and layering them into the buttered crock. If using a softer white or fresh loaf just layer in the bread pieces and then pour the egg mixture over the top.

Place 2-3 paper towels over the opening to the crock then cover with lid (this keeps the moisture from dripping on the bread) and cook on lowest setting for six hours. The toast is done when the bread has soaked up all of the liquid and the eggs have cooked. (You will be able to see bits of cooked egg on the outside of the bread.) Remove lid and paper towels for the last 20 - 30 minutes of cooking time. (This will allow the remaining moisture in the slow cooker to evaporate and help the bread "toast" evenly.)

Serve with butter and syrup or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Easy Peach Cobbler

2 pounds fresh or canned peaches, sliced
2/3 cup oats
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
3/4 cup softened butter
vanilla ice cream ~ optional

Place peaches in crock pot. Combine oats, flour, sugar, and spices. Add butter and stir until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over peaches. Cook on low 3 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

Wash your potatoes well and let them dry. Then wrap each potato in a piece of foil (no need for pricking them).
Place the foil wrapped potatoes in your crock pot. I put 8 medium sized potatoes in my 4 quart crock pot, but I probably could have fit at least 10.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

Crock Pot Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted OPTIONAL (I am allergic to nuts)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 small ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Turn crock pot on high. Grease and flour manufacturer's insert or 2 pound metal container. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices in medium bowl. Add nuts and set aside. In another bowl, cream butter with sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add milk and vanilla. Mix completely. Stir in bananas until well mixed. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir until just combined. *Place insert into crock pot. Carefully add batter, top container with several paper towels. Put lid on crock pot and bake for 2 to 3 hours or until done. Be sure not to check on bread until it's cooked at least 2 hours. Mine is always done at 2 hours.

Remove lid and paper towels let cool for 10-15 min and remove inserted pan or invert bread onto a plate and then flip over. You really need to get it out of the crock so it won't keep baking from the residual heat of the crock.

*If using other metal container, either place a rack or crumpled aluminum foil at bottom of crock pot. Place container on top. After adding batter, top crock with several paper towels. Make sure crock pot lid is loose and bake for regular amount of time.

Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake

FOR THE CAKE:

2 cups Brown Sugar
2 cups All-purpose Flour
6 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Milk
4 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

FOR THE FUDGE TOPPING:

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 cups Boiling Water


Directions: For the cake: Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla until combined. Spread the batter over the bottom of a large crock pot.

For the fudge topping: Mix together the brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle mixture over the cake batter.
Pour the boiling water over the top. DO NOT STIR! Cover and cook on High for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

Cake will be very hot! Turn off heat, and remove lid. Let sit 20-30 minutes before serving, so its still warm but won't burn your mouth.

You are really going to want to add some vanilla ice cream to this too...Promise!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake in the Crock Pot

5 tablespoons butter, in small pieces, plus more for the cooker
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, plus more for lining the cooker
3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
8 canned pineapple rings
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice from canned pineapple rings
8 fresh or frozen cherries, pitted (optional)The pitting isn't optional just the cherries are ;) I use bottled maraschino cherries.
3/4 cup cake flour
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
ice cream for serving~ this is optional

Butter the inside of a slow cooker, line completely with foil, and then butter the foil. Turn on high. Sprinkle butter, brown sugar and rum over the foil on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Cover the bottom with the pineapple slices in a slightly overlapping ring pattern, placing one in the center and pressing the pineapple into the sugar. If desired, place one cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl; then whisk to combine evenly.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg with an electric mixer. Whisk in the milk and pineapple juice. Add the egg mixture to the flour and blend well to combine completely

Mix briefly at medium speed to make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter over the pineapples and smooth with a spatula to even it out. Lay a doubled length of paper towel from end to end over the top of the slow cooker, to line the lid and create a tighter seal. (The paper towel helps to collect additional condensation from dripping off the lid back onto the cake.)

Cover the cake tightly with the lid and continue to cook on high until the cake begins to brown slightly on the sides and springs back when touched in the middle, about 3 1/2 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and let the cake set, about 20 minutes more.

Using the foil, lift the cake from the slow cooker; set on the counter to cool, about 30 minutes more. Fold back the foil, and carefully invert cake onto a platter so you can see the caramelized pineapples.

Slice or spoon cake into bowls and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Crock Pot Tapioca Pudding

Classic tapioca pudding is made with very little hassle in a slow cooker. There is no need to presoak small tapioca pearls prior to cooking.

4 cups milk
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup small pearl tapioca
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Stir together the milk, sugar, tapioca, and eggs in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on Medium (This is ONLY if you have a low, med, and high setting, if not choose the low setting directions) for 3 hours, or on Low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally, about once an hour. Serve warm.

Crock Pot Apple Pie

4-5 sliced cooking apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 box cake mix, white, vanilla, butter, or yellow
2 eggs
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 1/2 cup milk
cinnamon

Okay today we are going to be continuing our crock pot baking with apple pie. First you start of with 4-5 sliced apples and throw them in the crock pot. Then once you have your apples in there you go ahead and throw a 1/2 cup of brown sugar right on top of them. Then you pour in your batter of 1 box of cake mixed with 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of margarine, and a 1 1/2 cups of milk on top of the apples. To top it off just a little bit of cinnamon sprinkle it right on top of the cake mix. Cover and let cook on low for about 6-8 hours. Or high for 2-4 hours.

Crock Pot Amish White Bread

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour
This recipe is for a 4.5 quarter crock pot. If using a larger crock pot…omit dividing dough and skip the SMALLER DOUGH portion of this recipe!

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar & salt in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. For the first few cups, the paddle attachment works well. Then change to dough hook. When dough is slightly sticky, place on lightly floured surface. Divide dough. (I do 2/3 and 1/3). Using the larger ball of dough: Form into ball. Place in a well sprayed crock pot lined with parchment paper. Turn crock pot on HIGH and cover. Let cook between 2 and 2.5 hours. Place under broiler when done on low for about 6 minutes (rotating half way through) if you prefer a browned top.

Smaller ball: Place in a well oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and shape into loaf and place into well oiled 8x5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

White Bread in the Crock Pot

1 envelope .25 ounce of active dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups white flour

Combine yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and the 1/4 cup warm water. Let it sit a bit, until the yeast foams, about five minutes.Add eggs, vegetable oil, 1 cup lukewarm water, salt, 1/4 cup sugar,and 2 cups of the flour. Beat it with your electric mixer about two minutes.Stir in the remaining two cups of flour with a big spoon or spatula.Place the dough in your greased crock-pot. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours. If you have a newer crock-pot, remove the stoneware and place on a cooling rack for about five minutes. If you have a older crock-pot, let cool thoroughly before you upend it.When cool, overturn the bread on to a cooling rack. Then place your cutting board on top of the bread, then over turn that so the bread is right side up on the cutting board. Let it stand about five minutes before you slice it.
It was super easy, and kind of cool because I just dropped it in to the crock-pot, and it rose in there, I didn’t even have to think about it.

Crockpot Baking

Article Adapted from About.com

Not only can you make meals in a crock pot, but desserts and breads can be made in there as well. Crockpots are perfect for anyone who wants to bake, but doesn't can't wait around for it to be done. You'll find the simple crockpot baking instructions below.

Besides a Crockpot (slow cooker or electric cooker), you'll need:

The manufacturer's baking insert with a lid and baking rack.

- OR -

An 1, 2 or 3 pound coffee or nut can or any metal mold that holds 4, 8 or 12 cups. (copper gelatin molds, baking pans, etc.)
A double thickness of paper towels.
Aluminum foil.

Crockpot Baking is so simple that all you have to do is:

Grease insert or can with solid vegetable shortening.
Only half fill the insert or can. This allows for rising.
Heat needs to be able to circulate around the insert. If a baking rack isn't available, crumple up enough aluminum foil to raise the can about an inch from the bottom of the crockpot.
If there is not lid, cover the can with a double thickness of paper towels.
Place lid on crockpot for baking.
Generally, baking is done on high heat, but you should follow the recipe instructions.
Only lift lid to check for doneness. Lifting the lid too often will let necessary heat escape.
Use pot holders or folded paper towels to remove can or insert from crockpot.
To more easily remove cake or bread from a can, open bottom of can with can opener and push food out.