Tag: crockpot

Crockpot Pumpkin Spinach Ziti Casserole

It’s finals week(s) and I’ve been living on popcorn, clementines, peanut butter, and coffee.  But on Sunday, I decided to let my crockpot make my dinner for me.  I’ve been toying with the idea of making a lasagna in the crockpot, and that’s how I stumbled across this recipe for Pumpkin White Bean Lasagna.  But since you need to break the lasagna noodles anyway to fit them in the slow cooker, I decided to modify the recipe to use whole wheat ziti.  And of course, I snuck in one more vegetable and some Parmesan cheese while I was at it!  As you can see from the list of ingredients, this is pretty much a pantry meal with no special purchases required.  It took all of 20 minutes to assemble in the crockpot, and then I went on with my day.

When I came home, I was pleasantly surprised that the pasta had cooked fairly well.  This meal is soft, warm, and comforting.  It lacked a little bit of flavor though, so next time I would add more seasoning to the ricotta mixture.  In the meantime, I added a bit more sauce and some Parmesan cheese and it was a great dinner, with plenty leftover for lunches for the week.  Now, I have no excuses left and must go study!

 

 

 

Crockpot Pumpkin Spinach Ziti Casserole

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (16 oz.) container fat free ricotta
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 (28 oz) can + 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen spinach
4 heaping cups whole wheat ziti (buy a 12 oz. box)
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, rinsed and drained

In a small bowl, mix pumpkin, ricotta, and Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper.  In a larger bowl, mix tomato sauce and frozen spinach.

Coat the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Place a heaping 1/2 c. of sauce on the bottom of the pot.  Add a heaping cup of dry pasta.  Add 1/3 of the cheese mixture, followed by 1/3 of the beans, and 1/4 of the remaining sauce.  Repeat layers of pasta, cheese, beans, and sauce 2 more times.  Add a final layer of pasta, and spread the remaining sauce on top.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

-Adapted from GeekyPoet

 

Crockpot Potato Vegetable Casserole

I declared this past Saturday a “No-Homework” day.  My house was a mess, the laundry was piled high, my refrigerator was empty, and I needed a break.  To celebrate the occasion, I told my friend Tara to come over for dinner.  OK, it was a little ambitious to think I could completely clean and organize my house in one day and get dinner on the table for us.  I am lucky to have friends who aren’t very fussy, and will pretty much try anything.

I decided to use my crockpot to make this Layered Vegetable Casserole.  No, this is not a typical Saturday night dinner, but it is a pretty decent meal and reminded me a little of potato skins.  I used mostly frozen vegetables here, but I see this as a dish that could be changed from season to season based on what’s available.  And of course, if you have homemade tomato sauce in the freezer, that would make it even better.  Next time I would use a little more sauce which I think would help the vegetables cook more easily.  There are a few more versions of this recipe floating in my head, but in the meantime enjoy!

 

 

Crockpot Potato Vegetable Casserole

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 c. corn
1/2 c. peas
1 T Italian seasoning
1/4 t black pepper
3 large potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen broccoli
1 1/2 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar

In a bowl, mix tomato sauce, carrots, corn, peas, and spices.  Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Layer 1/3 of the potato slices in the bottom.  Add 1/3 of the broccoli, followed by 1/3 of the vegetable sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers (potatoes, broccoli, sauce, and cheese) 2 more times.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or until potatoes are soft.  Serve garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

-Adapted from Happy Healthy Mama

Taco Bowls

Do you need a really easy crockpot chicken recipe?  Then check out these Taco Chicken Bowls from Budget Bytes, one of my new favorite recipe blogs.  It looks like a great meal, whether you’re cooking for a family or just yourself and the freezer.

Do you need a really easy vegetarian crockpot recipe that uses only the ingredients which you have on hand?  Then check out my version below!  You don’t need to use your crockpot for this one, I am sure a pan on the stovetop would work.  But it is a lot easier to just turn the crockpot on High and forget about it until it’s dinnertime.  This dish may not be particularly unique, but it was a hot balanced meal that hit the spot.  And even better, it makes a great lunch for the next day!

 

 

Crockpot Taco Bowl

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz) package frozen corn
1 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1 t minced garlic
1/2 c. water
Brown Rice
Shredded Cheddar
Sour Cream

Place beans, tomatoes, corn, spices, garlic, and water in the crockpot and stir.  Cook on high for 3 hours.  Serve mixture on a bed of brown rice, topped with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

-Inspired by Budget Bytes

 

Crockpot White Bean Pumpkin Chili

My cooking club theme this month was “Soup’s On!” and we all made soup, stew, or chili.  I brought this White Bean Pumpkin Chili, and we also enjoyed Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Butternut Squash Apple Soup, Beef Stew, and Blueberry Soup served over vanilla ice cream for dessert.  Many spoons were used and a good time was had by all.

I saw this Crockpot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili on Skinny Taste, and wanted to make a vegetarian version.  I also swapped a jalapeno pepper for the canned chilis.  The chili came out great, and the beans were nice and soft and made the chili thick.  The recipe is easy, and remember that the crockpot can cook while you sleep!

 

 

Crockpot White Bean Pumpkin Chili

1 T canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 t minced garlic
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1 T cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3 c. vegetable broth
1 T chili powder

Heat oil in a large frying pan, and saute onion, garlic, and pepper for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.  Stir in cumin.  Place mixture in a crockpot, and add beans, pumpkin, broth, and chili powder.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

-Adapted from Skinny Taste

Crockpot Stuffed Mushrooms

I took my crockpot out of it’s summer hiding place and put it on the counter, where it will stay for a while.  One of my favorite sources for slow cooker recipes is Stephanie O’Deas’s site.  She maintains a blog, writes cookbooks, and has prepared an incredible number of meals for her family using a crockpot, so she knows what she’s doing.

For my first crockpot meal of the season, I adapted her recipe for Crockpot Stuffed Mushrooms.  I normally think of stuffed mushrooms as a fancy Saturday night appetizer, but these mushrooms are a perfect Sunday afternoon casserole, with leftovers for lunch of course.  I substituted large stuffing mushrooms that were on sale for the portobello mushrooms in the original recipe, and made a few other changes to reduce the amount of oil and salt.

I served the first dish of mushrooms over whole wheat couscous, and it was fantastic!  The tomatoes and balsamic vinegar make a great sauce, although I did have to add a bit of salt and pepper in my dish, along with a little more Parmesan.  Next time I might add a teaspoon or two of Italian seasoning right to the crockpot, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing.  I have a feeling I’ll be making this recipe again very soon.

 

 

Crockpot Stuffed Mushrooms

2 T olive oil, divided
24 oz. large mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 t black pepper
1 T dried basil
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pour 1 T oil in the bottom of the crockpot.  Clean mushrooms, and remove stems and set aside.  Place mushroom caps in the bottom of the crockpot, laying some flat and some sideways as needed to create a single layer.

Chop mushroom stems, and place in a large bowl.  Add remaining 1 T oil, tomatoes, vinegar, breadcrumbs, seasoning, and Parmesan cheese and mix well.  Pour mixture over mushrooms.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours.  Serve with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
-Adapted from Stephanie O’Dea