Crockpot Turkey Breast

6-7 lb turkey breast

salt and pepper, to taste

1 c. orange juice

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix*

1 can whole cranberry sauce*

Place liner in crockpot. Rub salt and pepper on outside of turkey breast. Place turkey breast inside crockpot. Combine all other ingredients and pour over turkey. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Check with thermometer. Be sure it has reached 165. Remove turkey and cover with foil. Allow to rest 5-15 minutes before serving. 

*If the turkey breast is already seasoned (savory herb) do not add onion soup mix. I also don't add the cranberry sauce when I'm making baked apples and cranberries.

This turkey was so juicy and tender, my husband loved it!

I forgot to take a picture before it was almost all gone. I managed to get a picture of leftovers.

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

For Meatballs:***

2 slices soft white bread*

1/4 c. milk or water

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 large eggs

1 T. minced garlic

1 t. dried Italian seasoning

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

For Sauce:

1 1/4 c. beef broth

1/2 c. half & half**

2 T. cornstarch

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. dried parsley

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. thyme

1/4 pepper

pinch of nutmeg

cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes

Tear bread into small pieces. Place in food processor and process until bread is in fine crumbs. Combine with water or milk. Stir and let sit for a few minutes. (If you don't have a food processor, you can just let the bread chunks soak and then mash into crumbs.) Stir crumbs, beef, pork, onion, eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until combined. Do not overmix. Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape meat mixture into 1-1.5" balls and place 1" apart on sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until browned on the outside. Set aside to cool. After cooled, they may be frozen for up to 3 months.

Place liner in crockpot. Place meatballs in liner. Stir together all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs. Cook on low 4-5 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles.

*Panko bread crumbs may be used instead (plain or Italian--if using Italian, reduce amount of spices added to recipe) 2 slices bread = 1 1/2 c. crumbs.

**evaporated milk may be substituted for half & half (same amount) 

***May also use frozen meatballs if you are short on time.

Super Easy Candy Covered Caramels

11 oz. bag Kraft caramel bits

2 T. water

1 bag candy melts, I used vanilla (about a 12 oz. bag)

candy molds, I used silicone ones

new paintbrush (small)

Heat desired amount of candy melts in microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at 1/2 power. Stir. Repeat if needed. Paint in molds with new paintbrush. If candy hardens it may be heated again using the same instructions as before.

Place caramel bits in a microwave safe bowl. Add water. Heat on high for 2 minutes. Stir until completely melted. Do not place in microwave again! Place cooled caramel in painted molds. Paint additional candy melt on top of caramel to seal in. Place in refrigerator to set.

1st pic: candy melts, 2nd pic: caramel bits, 3rd pic: melted candy melts, 4th pic: melted caramel, 5th pic: caramel inside painted molds, 6th pic: vanilla candy sealing in caramel, 7th pic: ready to eat!

Crockpot General Tso's Chicken #2

4 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes

1/4 c. cornstarch

1 T. oil

1/2 c. hoisin sauce (bbq sauce or orange sauce may be substituted)

2 T. soy sauce

1/2 c. brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. rice wine vinegar

1 t. sesame oil

1/4 t. ginger

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

green onions, sliced

seame seeds

red pepper flakes

rice, cooked

Combine chicken and cornstarch. Toss until completely coated. Over medium high heat, add oil and cook chicken until lightly browned. Place in bottom of lined crockpot. Whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and red pepper. Pour on top of chicken. Cook on low heat 3-4 hours until chicken is cooked throughout. Serve over rice and garnish as desired.

Crockpot Chili Con Carne

1 lb. bacon, cooked and drained, chopped into small chunks

4 lbs. ground beef, cooked in bacon grease, drianed

4 1 lb cans kidney beans, I like using Bush's Chili Magic, medium and mild

28 oz. crushed tomatoes, I like using Del Monte chili tomatoes 

12 oz. tomato paste

2 onions, finely chopped

4 oz. chili powder

4 oz. dry cayenne pepper powder, optional

2, 10 oz. cans beef broth

2 fresh tomatoes

2 jalapeno or serrano peppers, (serrano peppers are 3x hotter than jalapeno peppers)

3 garlic cloves

1 T. cumin

1 T. oregano

1 1/2 T. paprika

Place bacon in lined crockpot. Place ground beef, beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, chili powder, and cayenne in crockpot. Add beef broth. Cut stems off jalapenos and cut into two or three chunks. Place the peppers with garlic and fresh tomatoes in a food processor and puree. Place in crockpot. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Serve with favorite toppings and crackers or cornbread.

*I like serving with broccoli cornbread.

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. SR flour

12 oz. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in flour. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop round balls onto cookie sheet. Slightly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet. Move cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Crockpot General Tso's Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken cut into 1" pieces

3/4 c. + 2 T. cornstarch

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 T oil

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice*

1/3 c. vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 t. ginger

green onion, sliced, optional

rice, cooked

broccoli, chopped, cooked

Combine 3/4 c. cornstarch, salt, pepper in dish. Dip chicken in mixture to coat. Shake off excess and set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Brown the chicken, no more than 2 minutes wach side. Remove chicken and set aside. Place liner in crockpot. Combine sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, and cayenne. Stir to mix well. Place in lined crockpot. Add chicken to crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Check 20 minutes before serving and make sure the sauce is thick enough. If not, take the remaining 2 T. of cornstarch and mix with 2 T. cold water until a slurry forms. Gently mix a little at a time with the chicken and sauce. It thickens as it cooks. Cook for another 20 minutes and serve over chopped broccoli and rice. Top with sliced green onion. 

*if you don't have or can't use pineapple juice, orange juice may be substituted. It may change the taste a little , but it is still good.

Millionaire Caramel Pecan Turtles

14 oz. Kraft caramel bits

2 T. milk

2 c. toasted pecans, chopped (toasting is optional)

10 oz. milk chocolate chips

Microwave milk and caramel bits in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Stir in pecans and drop by teasoonfuls onto wax paper. Let stand until firm. Microwave chocolate chips until melted, stir until smooth. Dip candies in chocolate, allowing excess to drip. Place on wax paper. Let stand until firm.

Turtle Candy

4 oz. pecan halves

24 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips*

1 t. shortening*

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet woth aluminum foil and spray. Arrange pecan halves in a Y shape on cookie sheet. Place 1 caramel in the center of the Y. Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes, until caramel is melted. Do not bake too long or caramel will get too hard. Heat chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted. Spoon chocolate over caramel and refrigerate until set.

*May also use chocolate candy melts instead

Caramel Cream Cheese Bread

2 c. SR flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 sticks butter, room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 c. caramel topping, divided

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2, 9x5 loaf pans, Cream together: butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Add flour and cinnamon. Stir until incorporated. Pour 1/4 of batter into each loaf pan. Spoon 1/4 c. caramel topping on top of batter in each pan. Swirl caramel, keeping away from edges of pan. Add remaining batter. Place in oven and bake 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Enjoy!