crock pot

Flashback Friday: Celebrate National Slow Cooking Month With These 95 Crock Pot Dishes

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 18:00:03 +0000

Winter is no longer coming — it has definitely arrived. And with cold weather, comes every human being's inherent desire to cozy up indoors with a blanket, a warm beverage, and a hearty meal. Luckily for us, January is National Slow Cooking Month, and we're encouraged to use our trusty Crock Pots all the live-long day. (See also: The 5 Best Slow Cookers)

If your Crock Pot game isn't quite as strong as you'd like it to be, or you are looking for a new eight-hour dinner that will make your taste buds do a collective happy dance, check out our growing compilation of Crock Pot recipes below. Peruse and salivate away. No judgment!

12 Delicious Slow Cooker Breakfast Ideas for Lazy Cooks — Most of us don't have the time or energy to wake up and prepare a satisfying, balanced meal from scratch — not even early birds. But these breakfasts cook while you sleep, so you can roll out of bed and have a stellar feast waiting for you.

25 Great, Cheap, and Easy Crock Pot Recipes — From coq au vin to baked beans, there is something on this list for every kind of eater. The best part? They're all easy, which is exactly what you need during a busy work week.

8 Great Clean Eating Slow Cooker Recipes — Don't let the mode of cooking fool you — Crock Pot meals can be healthy, too! Stick to your health-related resolutions AND enjoy every meal.

35 Slow Cooker Recipes for Busy (or Lazy) Vegetarians — Slow cookers are not solely used by carnivores preparing meals overloaded with meat. There are puh-lenty of amazing meat-free recipes that herbivores will adore.

15 Easy, Mouthwatering Slow Cooker Dessert Recipes — Dessert time is the best time. And if you haven't tried Apple Crisp Coffee Cake made in a Crock Pot (or any of these sweet treats), then you truly haven't lived.

Happy National Slow Cooking Month!

What will you slow-cook first? Share with us in the comments!

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Healthy Homemade Yogurt Recipes

Ashley Marcin — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 09:00:09 +0000

One of my more indulgent grocery expenses is yogurt, and those tubs really add up. It doesn't matter what kind — plain, Greek, Icelandic, vegan, etc. — I'm hooked on all those healthy bacteria and tasty flavors.

But did you know that you can make yogurt in the comfort and convenience of your own kitchen? It's true. Even better: It costs far less than the cartons at the store. So, go get your apron, 'cause it's yogurt-making time!

1. Crock-Pot Yogurt

What could be easier than simmering DIY yogurt in your slow cooker? Start by pouring half a gallon of milk into your crock pot and setting it on low for just under three hours. Let it sit for three hours more. Then take a few spoonfuls of the warmed milk and mix with a half cup of your favorite yogurt as a starter (it should contain "active cultures" listed on the label). Combine with the rest of the pot, cover with a towel, and let rest for another eight to 12 hours before spooning into airtight containers and transferring to your refrigerator.

2. Countertop Yogurt

This raw yogurt can be made right atop your kitchen counter. You'll need raw milk, packaged cultures, jars, a nonreactive saucepan, and some clean cloths. Heat your milk in the saucepan until it starts to rise, then let cool to room temperature before stirring in the cultures to create your starter. From there, take one tablespoon of starter and place in a glass jar. Fill the rest up with raw milk (leaving one inch for headspace). Let sit on your countertop overnight, then place in the fridge to set.

3. Coconut Yogurt

This delicious coconut milk yogurt requires just four ingredients. Coconut milk (full fat, canned works best), sweetener, starter (like probiotic powder), and optional thickener. Once you gather these items, the process is simple. Heat the coconut milk and sweetener until just boiling, then allow to cool to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir in the thickener. Once cooled, add the probiotics as well. Then let culture for eight hours to a full day.

4. Almond Milk Yogurt

Another great vegan alternative is this almond milk yogurt — starting with pure almonds. You'll need some additional thickening agents for this mix, including agar agar and arrowroot powder. From there, soak almonds in filtered water overnight. Blend everything in a high-powered blender and strain out solid pieces. You'll heat this milk and combine with the thickeners before adding to a yogurt maker and letting sit another good eight to 10 hours before chilling.

5. Greek Yogurt

Making thick Greek yogurt is very much like the processes in the other recipes. The difference is in the straining. So, after you've mixed and heated and set your yogurt, you'll line a colander with cheesecloth. Pour the yogurt inside and gather the corners to let it drain for five hours (or until you reach your desired consistency). That's the secret step.

6. Kefir

I only recently started enjoying homemade kefir — a drinkable yogurt — as part of my everyday routine. And like most things, you can make it at home using whole ingredients. The key here is fermentation, which occurs when you allow milk to sit with kefir grains for 12 to 48 hours. After this critical part of the process, just pour through a strainer, store, and retain grains for future kefir-making sessions.

Have you made yogurt at home? What's your favorite method?

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Cool Uses for a Slow Cooker

Ashley Marcin — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 18:00:12 +0000

I love my slow cooker, and I use it to make tons of delicious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. But did you know you can also make crafts and other non-food items in the pot? It's true! (See also: 12 Delicious Slow Cooker Breakfasts for Lazy Cooks)

Check out these 10 projects that will turn your world upside-down and give you some new skills to boast.

1. Candles

Need to make a gift for a friend? Try Crock-Pot candles. Set your pot to the warm setting and fill some small glass containers with soy wax flakes. Place the containers in your pot and then pour in some boiling water around them. Cover and cook for two hours, until fully melted. Stir in coloring and carefully remove before placing in the wicks and adding any scented oils.

2. Play Dough

My daughter loves slow cooker play dough. We can make it together and color it however she wants. Better yet, if you have allergies, you can use either rice or all-purpose flour. The rest is corn starch, water, cream of tartar, and some cooking oil. Warm it up in the pot, mix, and knead with food coloring.

3. Lotion Bars

I've made lotion bars on the stovetop before, but I love this idea to make them in a Crock-Pot. You'll toss together a mixture of shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and vitamin E. Cook everything for one hour until fully melted, add essential oils, then pour into molds. (Note: You can use inexpensive slow cooker liners to keep the mess to a minimum.)

4. Lip Balm

The same method applies for this DIY lip balm. Melt beeswax before tossing in coconut and almond oils. Mix well. Then drop in some essential oils (flavor oils work best) before pouring into molds to set.

5. Soap

Make your own slow cooker soap! All you need is water, lye, and a mix of different oils. After dissolving lye in a separate container, you'll pour your oils in the pot. When they're hot, add in the lye and stir for five minutes before letting cook for 20 minutes. You'll turn the heat off and stir in more water before smoothing out, adding mix-ins, and eventually pouring into molds to set.

6. Foot Bath

I definitely had to look twice at this Crock-Pot foot bath. Believe it. This soothing soak will work best if you have a larger pot, of course. No real special formula — the author just put in water and bubble bath — but I suggest using a couple tablespoons of epsom salts for good measure. (Just make sure not to do this in a borrowed pot!)

7. Dyed Yarn

This dyed yarn project looks super cool. You'll need to use yarn made from at least 50% animal fiber. The magic is the food coloring and vinegar. You'll soak in the warm pot for between two and four hours before rinsing and spinning to dry.

8. Crayons

With a preschooler running around the house, we have our fair share or broken crayons in assorted colors. Use your Crock-Pot to melt broken crayons together and create new art supplies (or even gifts). You'll remove all the paper from the crayons before piling them in color order. Melt on low. Then ladle into silicone molds to set.

9. Potpourri

While I prefer simmering applesauce to get my house smelling nice, you can also make Aunt Peggy's potpourri in your slow cooker. Toss in apples, lemons, oranges, water, bay leaves, and cloves. Then cook on low to diffuse the aroma.

10. Paint Removal

Do you have old hinges or other metal hardware covered in paint? Remove it without using chemical strippers inside your Crock-Pot. Fill the pot with water and set to high. Place your items in the pot until the paint softens and comes off in one piece. You may wish to use a new (or old) Crock-Pot for this job since paint contains some nasty stuff. Try finding one at a thrift shop on the cheap.

What cool, non-edible uses have you come up with for your Crock-Pot?

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Delicious Slow Cooker Breakfast Ideas for Lazy Cooks

Ashley Marcin — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:00:07 +0000

I'm sure many of us are seasoned veterans when it comes to using our slow cookers to simmer up soups, casseroles, and other dinner favorites. But have you ever thought to extend the ease to breakfast?

It's a whole new world of deliciousness coupled with some savvy time savings. The following basic breakfast recipes are highly adaptable, satisfying, and cook while you sleep. (See also: 35 Slow Cooker Recipes for Busy Vegetarians)

1. Overnight Oatmeal

Here's a new twist on oats. This Apple Pie Oatmeal comes together by combining cubed apples, steel cut oats, spices, milk, and brown sugar. Cook for three hours before turning the heat to medium overnight. The long warming process lets the flavors mingle till morning. You could easily use other fruit in place of the apples in an equal ratio.

2. Breakfast Burrito

This Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Burrito looks protein-packed and sustaining. You'll cook the filling in the pot before scooping into tortilla shells. The green peppers, onions, tofu, and black beans get loads of flavor from cumin, turmeric, paprika, and chili powder. If you're not vegetarian, you could easily substitute breakfast sausage for the tofu.

3. Frittata

Rather than scrambling eggs, make this easy Crock Pot Frittata. This recipe is highly adaptable to whatever veggies you have on hand, but the author featured kale, red pepper, and feta — a winning combination in my book. Just mix all the ingredients together in the pot and cook on low for around three hours. Keeps well in the fridge for several days.

4. Cinnamon Rolls

No way! Overnight Cinnamon Rolls sound like heaven, and I can't wait to make this recipe myself. After mixing together the dough and filling components, you'll grease your crock pot, roll and slice, and let everything rest overnight in the fridge. In the morning, turn the pot on and cook for around an hour.

5. Applesauce

Getting kids to eat fruit and veggies in the morning is tough. Make it easier with Pumpkin Cinnamon Applesauce. Chop up apples and crack a can of pumpkin puree and combine in the pot with cinnamon, lemon, water, sugar, and vanilla. Kids might not like so much spice, so feel free to use less and to skip the sugar entirely.

6. Spiced Latte

If you'd rather make a drink to go with your breakfast mainstay, this Pumpkin Spice Latte will surely fit the bill. Stir together five cups of strong black coffee, milk, whipping cream, canned pumpkin, sugar, and spices. Let cook on high for two hours.

7. Morning Casserole

Start your day the hearty way with this Breakfast Casserole. You'll layer frozen hash browns, cooked sausage, shredded cheese, and green onions before tossing in a dozen eggs whisked with milk, salt, and pepper. Cook for four hours on high. Vegetarians can use TVP or other sausage-like substitute or simple leave out that part in favor of more veggies.

8. French Toast

Now for a sweet twist. This Crock Pot French Toast is nothing more than bread, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and sugar. I think the key here is using really delicious French bread whenever possible. It will hold up better than standard sandwich slices.

9. Cheesy Grits

The classic southern staple — Cheesy Grits — makes a great side for breakfast. And these guys are irresistibly creamy without any addition of milk or cream. Let grits cook on low with water, salt, and butter overnight. Note: This recipe only works with stone ground grits.

10. Baked Apples

The author of this Baked Apples recipe has them slotted for dessert. With ingredients so healthy, they'd make a fine breakfast, especially if served with Greek yogurt on the side. After removing most of the apple's core, you'll fill them with raisins, walnuts, honey, cinnamon, and a little melted butter. Toss them in the pot with water and cook on low for four hours. (See also: 15 Mouthwatering Slow Cooker Desserts)

11. Breakfast Stew

This nutritious Breakfast Stew will be your new winter staple in the morning. Start with a base of butternut squash. Then mix in apples, apricots, zucchini, raisins, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, persimmon, and kale. Yes, kale! Quinoa and almond milk round out the rest of this super healthy vegan meal.

12. Pancake Bake

Try using Bisquick in a new way with this Slow Cooker Pancake Bake. You'll combine the popular baking mix with milk and an egg before pouring it into your crock pot. A cinnamon and sugar mixture adds some flair to this recipe, but you could also use fresh fruit or chocolate chips.

What's your favorite breakfast slow cooker recipe? Please share in comments!

This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

15 Easy, Mouthwatering Slow Cooker Dessert Recipes

Ashley Marcin — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 21:00:06 +0000

I don't support a lot of extraneous kitchen contraptions. However, my slow cooker will have a space in my cupboards forever. I make tons of soups and stews that sustain my family through the fall and winter months. And lately, I've even started experimenting with making desserts. (See also: 7 Ways to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen)

Here are 15 absolutely incredible sweet treats you can make in your crock pot.

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Let's just say the author of this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake combined two of the best ingredients in the world. The recipe yields 16 total servings at 141 calories each. Turn to this cake when you're looking to make a treat with little effort but would rather skip processed store stuff. Oh, and if you're out of applesauce, you can use any other fruit (or even light vegetable) purees.

2. Apple Crisp Cake

This Apple Crisp Coffee Cake takes only 15 minutes to prep. There are three components: the apple mixture, the tasty oat crumble, and the cake. Once each is mixed together, simply layer them and let cook for just under four hours. Feel free to substitute in other fruits, like pears, and experiment!

3. Fudge

I usually save my fudge indulgences for the beach. With this Easy Fudge Recipe, I can eat it far more frequently. It's semi-healthy, too. Pour chocolate chips, coconut milk, raw honey, and sea salt into your crock pot. Keep the lid shut and cook for two hours. Pour in a little vanilla extract then stir vigorously before pouring into a dish to set.

4. Cinnamon Almonds

These Slow Cooker Cinnamon Almonds would make a wonderful addition to your holiday table. Coat almonds in a mixture of whisked egg whites and vanilla. Then toss into a bowl of sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for three to four hours, stirring every twenty minutes or so.

5. Baked Apples

Pick too many apples in the orchard? Try these crock pot Baked Apples stuffed with raisins, honey, and walnuts. The recipe calls for green apples because they tend to hold their flavor best with high-heat cooking. However, you can try using your favorite red apples with similarly delicious results.

6. Cheesecake

Cook up mouthwatering, silky smooth Vanilla Cheesecake right in your crock pot. First you'll create a graham cracker and butter crust that you'll press into prepared springform pans. Then you'll mix together the cheesecake filling and pour it into the crusts. The magic: Transfer the pans into your crock pot, cover with some towels and then the lid. Cook for two hours. Let cool for a while before serving.

7. Brownies

Check out these Triple Chocolate Brownies! To eliminate the chance of sticking, you'll line the interior of your crock pot with parchment paper. From there, pour in the batter and cook on low for three and a half hours. The author notes that the center of the brownies might seem a bit gooey at first, but it will be just right once cool.

8. Pumpkin Cake

Don't let the name deceive you. This Pumpkin Dump Cake might quickly turn into a new fall favorite. You can use white or yellow cake mix that you combine with pumpkin puree, spices, butter, and sugar. If you'd rather make it completely from scratch, here's a DIY cake mix recipe you can make and use in place of boxed mixes in recipes like these.

9. Chocolate Fondue

If there's one recipe that's been a hit at all my parties over all others, it's this Chocolate Fondue. You may even have the ingredients you need in the back of your pantry right now. Added bonus: You can schmooze with your guests while it cooks. Dip strawberries and bananas in it. Or try a few squares of angel food cake. Resist the urge to dip in your bare fingers, though — at least until your guests leave.

10. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Who says dessert can't be healthy? These Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are made with whole ingredients. Avoiding gluten? The recipe can easily be modified for your dietary restriction by using gluten-free oats. Cook, slice, and enjoy.

11. Figgy Pudding

I'll be the first to admit I've never tried this Christmastime staple. Now that I know I can cook Figgy Pudding right in my slow cooker, I might just have to try it. Make this recipe suitable for vegans by using non-dairy butter and your favorite milk substitute. I think coconut milk would taste amazing combined with figs.

12. Hot Cocoa

With just two ingredients, you'll want to make this Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa all the time. For the richest flavor, you can certainly use whole milk. However, if you're watching calories or don't drink dairy, any milk should do in a pinch.

13. Cobbler

When's the last time you had a good cobbler? If you can't remember, add this Black and Blue Cobbler to your must-make list. The recipe calls for two cups each of frozen blueberries and blackberries. Feel free to use whatever frozen fruit you have on hand to modify this recipe.

14. Mason Jar Brownies

What a cool idea! Make brownie batter and spoon into single serving Mason jars before stashing in the slow cooker to bake for three hours. The mixture benefits from the addition of water in the pot to keep everything moist. Serve warm with fresh berries and whipped cream.

15. Pound Cake

I'm not sharing just any pound cake! Behold this beautifully decadent Nutella Swirl Chocolate Chip Pound Cake. What I like most about this recipe is its versatility. You could easily substitute in peanut butter or your favorite nut butter for the nutella. Chocolate chips could just as easily be butterscotch or peanut butter chips. Have fun with it!

Have your made dessert in your slow cooker? Tell us about it! Any recipes to share?

This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 Tricks to Get More Out of Your Slow Cooker

Camilla Cheung — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 16:36:45 +0000

A slow cookers is one of the best tools for making delicious, easy meals (which can conveniently be ready right when you get home from work). Make your slow cooker recipes even more awesome with these seven tricks. (See also: 35 Slow Cooker Recipes for Busy (or Lazy) Vegetarians)

1. Sear and Brown Meats

A common criticism of slow-cooking methods is that meats end up gray and tasteless, although my personal opinion is that this is usually due to a faulty recipe, not to the method itself. You can also boost the flavor of your slow cooked meats by searing or browning them before placing them into the slow cooker.

Browning ingredients produces the coveted Maillard reaction, which caramelizes the sugars and amino acids in the food and gives it a deeper flavor (contrary to popular belief, browning does not "seal in juices"). Even non-meat ingredients can benefit from a little browning in a pan — browning onions, carrots, and other aromatics, for example, can help to give a little more oomph to your final dish.

2. Add Less Liquid

Because very little liquid evaporates from the slow cooker, you don't need to add much additional liquid, which can make the finished dish soupy and less flavorful. For a typical stew, I add less than half a cup of additional liquid. The juice from the meat and vegetables makes plenty of savory sauce. Since it doesn't reduce down, make that additional liquid count in terms of flavor, using a flavorful stock, salsa, tomato sauce, or pureed vegetables.

3. Make Plenty of Gravy

One easy and healthy way to make gravy is to slow-cook some aromatic vegetables, such as onions and carrots, along with your meat. When the dish is done cooking, remove the meat and puree the leftover vegetables and liquid together with an immersion blender. This creates a thick and flavorful sauce which can be seasoned to taste.

Another way to thicken your sauce is to roll the meat in a little flour before browning it and adding it to the slow cooker. By the time the dish is finished cooking, the flour has thickened the sauce. You can thicken sauces after they are done cooking by using a cornstarch (or arrowroot flour) slurry.

4. Use the Low Setting

Try to plan ahead and use the low setting instead of the high setting, even though it will take twice as long. Higher temperatures can toughen meat, especially the already tougher cuts (chuck, rump, shoulder, shank), so keep it low and slow. The lower temperatures are more forgiving too, so you're less likely to overcook the dish. (See also: 25 Easy Ways to Make Cheap Meat Taste Expensive)

5. Don't Under or Over-Fill

For the most even cooking, and to avoid burns and spills, your slow cooker should be at least half-full and no more than two-thirds full. If you're making individual portions, then a smaller slow cooker (a 1.5 quart slow cooker, for example) might be better for you. Although, why not make several servings and have plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week?

6. Make a One-Pot Meal

Make meals easier on yourself by cooking a full meal in the slow cooker. Not only can vegetables be cooked along with the meat, but you can also add beans, rice, couscous, quinoa, and other staples to the dish as well.

If adding rice or quinoa, add it about 2-3 hours before the end of the cooking time. Add canned beans within the last hour (they're already cooked and you don't want them to turn to mush), and couscous within the last 10 minutes.

7. Think Outside the Box

While cooking with your slow cooker works extremely well for braises, curries, soups, and stews, don't forget other kinds of dishes that you can make in the slow cooker as well. Yogurt, lemon cake, mac 'n' cheese, brownies, lasagna, and overnight oatmeal, are all dishes you can try making in this great kitchen multi-tasker.

What are your go-to slow cooker secrets? Please share in comments!

This article is from Camilla Cheung of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Cooking for Beginners: 10 Recipes for Kitchen Newbies

Mikey Rox — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:36:42 +0000

I enjoy cooking — and I’m not bad at it — but those skills didn’t necessarily come naturally.

There was a lot of trial and error (I nearly burnt down my house by putting a frozen chicken breast in a searing-hot pan of oil once), a lot of wasted ingredients (you can’t eat chicken that’s burnt on the outside but frozen solid in the middle), and a lot of hours spent watching cooking shows to pick up invaluable tips and tricks.

Over the years, this self-imposed practice has turned me into a competent, capable cook. I understand, however, that you may not have the time or interest to cook like I do. That’s OK. It’s not for everyone. But you should know how to make yourself at least a few meals that don’t come out of the microwave or magically appear on your doorstep. (See also: Teach Yourself to Cook)

1. Pot Roast With Root Vegetables

There are many ways you can make a hearty, delicious, rib-sticking pot roast, but one of the easiest is to put a 4 lb. chuck roast in a slow cooker (also called a Crock Pot) and let it cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Before you set it and forget it, however, you’ll need to season the roast with salt and pepper and sear (just a fancy word for make brown) each side of the roast in a skillet over high heat. Once the roast is seared, put it in the slow cooker with chopped carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion, a cup of water, and a packet of dry onion soup mix; for the soup mix, Lipton’s is probably the easiest to find.

You can put all of these ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, and your meal will be ready by dinnertime. Easy as that. You can make a nice gravy to go along with your pot roast, too — either homemade using the drippings (you’ll need cornstarch or flour) or using a packet (which will only require water).

2. Spaghetti and Garlic Bread

Spaghetti is a quick and simple dish for kitchen newbies to throw together, but cooking the pasta perfectly requires a little TLC.

To start this dish, bring a large pot of water, with a tablespoon of salt added, to a boil. Add in your spaghetti noodles based on how many people you’re feeding. A standard 1 lb. box feeds eight people, so divide the noodles accordingly. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box; you want the noodles to be “al dente” — tender but with a little bite.

As the noodles cook, heat up a prepared pasta sauce on the stove. From the jar will never be as good as homemade, but perhaps you’ll be comfortable enough to accept that challenge in time.

To make the garlic bread, mix a couple dashes of garlic powder, dried Italian herbs, and half a stick of room-temperature butter together and spread it on both sides a loaf of fresh French or Italian bread that’s been cut in half. Put the two halves back together, wrap in foil, and toss it into a 350-degree oven for 12 minutes.

When the pasta has cooked to al dente, drain it, return it to the pot, and add in the sauce and toss. Plate the pasta and serve with piping hot pieces of the crusty garlic bread.

3. Chicken Noodle Soup

Like a soul-soothing pot roast, there are a million and one recipes for chicken noodle soup, most of which are just variations on a very simple starter method.

This recipe for chicken noodle soup is ready in 30 minutes, so you can whip it up in no time on a brisk fall night. The ingredients you’ll need are all ordinary items you have in your fridge or pantry or that can pick up during a quick trip to the supermarket after work.

Here’s a rapid rundown of what to do:

Melt butter in a large pot and cook onion and celery in it for about five minutes.
Add chicken and vegetable broths, cooked chicken breast, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Eat.

4. Pita Pizzas With Side Salad

I started making pita pizzas a few years ago because I got tired of ordering pizzas that were too large for me to eat by myself. My solution was to make personal-sized pies that, believe it or not, are every bit as good as my favorite delivery joint but much healthier.

I use whole-wheat pitas topped with pizza sauce (Ragu has decent small jars, or you can save the pizza sauce dippers that come with your delivery pizza and use that; spaghetti sauce will work too in a pinch), cheese, a sprinkle of garlic powder, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Place the pizza directly on the middle rack of a 400-degree oven with a baking sheet on a lower rack to catch any drippings. Bake for about five or six minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve the pizzas with a simple side salad. The bagged kind is just fine; don’t forget the dressing.

5. Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Coleslaw

If you’re put off by the thought of making pulled pork because it requires a lot of work, you shouldn’t be — it hardly requires any work at all.

There are less than five ingredients in this slow-cooker pulled-pork recipe — pork tenderloin, root beer (do I have your attention now?), barbecue sauce, and hamburger buns. Place the pork loin in the slow cooker follow by the root beer. Cover and cook on low for six to seven hours. When the time is up, drain the slow cooker to get rid of all the liquid fat. The pork will fall apart and shred with ease, at which time you can stir in the barbecue sauce. Serve on hamburger buns alongside coleslaw you picked up at the store or that you can make with a prepackaged shredded cabbage mix, a few other ingredients, and this recipe for homemade coleslaw.

6. Steamed Shrimp and Corn on the Cob

Shrimp is a great ingredient for new cooks because it cooks up very fast, no matter the method.

You’ll need to start with the corn on the cob since it takes a while to cook. You can either wrap it in foil and toss it in the 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or let the ears boil on the stove for 30 minutes.

To make steamed shrimp the way I do (the best way!), pour a can of beer in the bottom of a steam pot, bring it to a boil.

Put the shrimp in a freezer bag with a tablespoon or two of Old Bay seasoning and shake to coat all the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the steamer tray, place it on the pot with the beer, and cover. Stir the shrimp every minute or so until they’re pink on both sides.

Butter the corn and squirt the shrimp with lemon before digging in.

7. Chicken Soft Tacos

Save some money and skip your favorite Mexican eatery in favor of making your own chicken soft tacos at home.

I like to grill my chicken in a broiler for this recipe by seasoning the breasts with salt, pepper, and lime, and cooking on each side for about five minutes. When the chicken is cooked through, I let it sit for at least five minutes while I prepare the other ingredients.

Chop a couple of tomatoes, some lettuce, and cilantro; grate your favorite cheese; and grab the salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Next, wrap your flour tortillas in a paper towel that you’ve soaked and rung out, and place them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Be careful removing them; they’ll be hot.

Build your chicken soft tacos by adding the chicken first, followed by the vegetables then adding the wet toppings like salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

8. Autumn Chopped Salad

A salad is very easy to make, especially when you buy it in a bag — but you don’t have to limit yourself to only what’s in that bag. You can spruce up the salad by adding additional ingredients that you enjoy like dried fruits, fresh veggies, and nuts.

This autumn chopped salad recipe is great any time of the year, but especially in fall because of the seasonal apples and pears. On a bed of romaine lettuce (bought in a bag) add chopped apples, pears, roasted peanuts, dried cranberries, and bacon. Chop the salad with a knife to incorporate all the ingredients evenly, and toss with sweet(ish) dressing like poppy-seed or raspberry-walnut.

Crumble a tangy cheese, like Gorgonzola or feta, on top to finish.

9. Steak and Baked Potatoes

If you’re a meat-and-potatoes person, there’s nothing purer or simpler than a juicy steak.

You have to start with the baked potato first, because it requires a generous amount of cooking time if you’d like to have the best baked potato you’ve ever eaten.

First, poke holes all around the potato — about eight pokes — with a fork. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the potato then sprinkle salt (kosher salt works best) and pepper all around the spud. Place it directly on the rack in a 350-degree oven (with a baking sheet underneath to catch the drippings) for about an hour.

As for the steak, I start with a good cut of beef (a rib eye most of the time) that I season with a brush of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper on both sides. I plop it onto my broiler pan and let it cook for a few minutes on each side, depending on the size of the steak and my desired doneness. I like my steak medium so about four minutes on each side for a 1-inch-thick steak should do.

When the steak is cooked to your liking, it’s important that you let it sit for a few minutes so the juices can redistribute throughout the steak to keep it tender and juicy.

After five minutes, plate the steak, push open the baked potato with your fingers, and top it with your favorite toppings, like butter and sour cream.

10. Breakfast for Dinner

Even if you don’t know much about cooking, at the very least you should know how to make breakfast. This one is simple: eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit.

In a skillet on medium heat, add a few strips of bacon. Let the bacon cook for five minutes, then turn it over to cook for another three minutes. If the bacon is too loose for your taste, cook it a bit longer to make it crispier. When the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the grease.

You can either dump the bacon grease down the sink with the hot water running (if you’re watching your weight) or cook the eggs in the bacon grease (like my grandmother used to do). The latter tastes better, but I usually choose to rinse out the skillet and add butter instead of the bacon grease to cook my eggs. On medium heat again, crack two eggs into the skillet, being careful not to break the yolks. When the whites have barely set, gently flip the eggs over to the other side until the whites are just cooked. Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper and slide onto a plate.

Meanwhile, make a couple slices of toast to sop up the yolky goodness and garnish the dish with a side of fruit for good measure.

The breakfast of champions at dinnertime is always a winner.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: