This is a great crock pot meal to prepare and eat  on a cold rainy night to keep you warm inside.   It's easy to make this Beef Casserole with Paprika and you should have all the ingredients in your pantry although I have only become a fan of smoked paprika for about a year so I wouldn't have had that myself before then.

Casseroles are perfect for winter or when you know you haven't got much time to cook as you just set and forget in the crock pot.  I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you want to adjust it slightly then go ahead and let me know how it turns out.  Cooking is all about experimenting with the recipe to suit your tastes and this crock pot meal is no exception.

Beef Casserole with Paprika

1 kg steak cut into large cubes*
1 tab butter
2 onions, chopped
1 tab butter extra
1 tab plain flour
2 teas mustard
2 tabs tomato paste
1/2 teas regular paprika
1/2 teas smoked paprika
1/2 cup each of red wine and beef stock **
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat in the first lot of butter and remove to the crock pot.  Add the extra butter then add the onions and cook until clear then add the  flour.  Cook for a minute then add the rest of the ingredients to the pan.  Bring to the boil stirring constantly then pour over the meat in the crock pot.  Cook on high for 4 hours on high or 6 - 7 hours on low.  If  the casserole needs any more thickening do that now just before serving.  You may find you  need this as the meat does give off more juices during cooking.  Serves 4 - 5.

Serve  Beef Casserole with Paprika with rice, mashed potatoes or small whole potatoes.  As there are only two of us this crock pot meal makes two meals for us.  I serve it one night with the small potatoes topped with sour cream and steamed vegetables, and the next night with rice as a quick meal.

*  Cheaper cuts do well cooked on the low setting
** You can replace the red wine with the same amount of beef stock if you want.

Tags: beef, beef casserole with, crock pot meal

I got my crock pot cake pan for Christmas and already have made a few cakes in it.  The crock pot cake came out great in this pan.  It fits perfectly in my old crock pot which is a round one but not the smaller one I also have.  I  love crock pot baking with this pan. They are much harder to find in Australia compared to in the US but I was fortunate to obtain one through an eBay auction.  Rival in the US and Monier in Australia made these cake pans for use in their round crocks many years ago.

You don't have to have a crock pot cake pan to cook cakes in the crock pot.  You can use an ordinary cake pan or other dish that fits your crock base.  I just like having the vented lid which means I don't need to add paper towel over my cake when cooking to absorb the moisture.  With it having a lid you can use it also to carry your cake in.

When buying a crock pot cake pan check the circumference of the pan and make sure it fits your crock pot.  There is a deep size that you can get also which may not fit into even some of the larger pots because of the height so you see it is important to check for sizes before buying any cake pan.  You need to be able to put the lid on your crock pot as well as the crock pot cake pan.

I love crock pot baking and they make crock pot cooking even easier.  I store the cake pan in my crock pot so no extra space is required in my cupboard.  A crock pot cake bakes well in the slow cooker and even rises well too.  Why not get a crock pot cake pan yourself for your own slow cooker.

Tags: crock pot baking, crock pot cake, crock pot cake pan, Slow cooker

This crock pot recipe for Stuffed Peppers with Beef and Rice is one I used to make many years ago and forgot all about it until recently.  I originally had changed it slightly from one of the recipes that came with the crock pot.

My tastes have changed a little since then again and I like my food a bit spicier now so amend this recipe to your own tastes.  You can spice up the filling a bit more if you like with fresh chopped chili and/or other herbs.  You could also add a couple of tablespoons of sweet chili sauce to the recipe but then reduce the wine.

Stuffed Peppers with Beef and Rice

4 - 6 bell peppers (capsicum)

2 med onions, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb (500g) minced beef

salt and pepper

1/4 cup white wine or stock

1 large ripe tomato chopped or canned tomato

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup stock or tomato juice (from canned tomato)

4 - 6 pieces of bacon (one for each pepper)

1/4 cup corn kernels (cooked or canned)

handful of basil chopped

Grated cheese (optional)

Turn crock pot on to high and spray with non stick spray.  See how many peppers will fit into your crock pot.  Take the top off the peppers and seed them, then put aside.  Combine onions, garlic, beef, corn and salt and pepper.  Add the rice and the basil and fill the peppers, pressing the mixture into each.  Top with a piece of bacon.   Pour over the stock (or tomato juice).  Cover the crock pot and cook for 3 -4 hours.  Top with grated cheese or add just before serving.  You can serve these stuffed peppers with salad or  steamed vegetables as a meal or serve alone as an entree.

If you have any left over mixture you can roll it into balls, coat with breadcrumbs and fry.  You can heat and serve these as a snack or with fried eggs for breakfast.  I used fairly large peppers and could only fit 4 in my crock pot.  I think they are nicer though a bit smaller and then you will fit more in especially if you use an oval crock pot.   I hope you enjoy this crock pot recipe for Stuffed Peppers with Beef and Rice.

Tags: Bell pepper, crock pot recipe, stuffed peppers with

The crock pot makes winter cooking easy.  You can prepare cheap easy meals from your slow cooker including soups, stews, desserts and cakes.  Fill the crock pot, turn it on, walk away and come back to delicious crock pot meals.  I cook a lot of soups in winter and all of them are prepared in the slow cooker.  You will be able to make cheap and easy crock pot meals with little preparation.  Soups are great to freeze for later as well, so if you are cooking on a budget soups are great value.

When most people think of crock pot cooking they think of cooking stews only, and they do cook well by slow cooking, but in winter I also cook most of my puddings, cakes and other desserts in the crock pot.  Last winter I also started cooking breakfasts also.  If you are a busy person, then why not get out that crock pot this winter and if you haven't already got one you can buy one at a great price on eBay or Amazon.  Check out the eBay auction on this site for current listings.

We are all cooking on a budget these days and the slow cooker helps you save money as you can use less expensive cuts of meat, use less electricity, cook in bulk and have more home made meals instead of dining out. Cooking in winter is always more pleasant than the hot steamy days of summer so this winter why not try some nutritious and easy crock pot meals.  Cooking on a budget has never been easier.

TO CHECK OUT:    Frugal Mom's Guide to Once a Month Cooking is here!  Not only does it have over 70 mom-tested once a month cooking recipes, but complete step-by-step instructions for doing once a month cooking, and lots of great forms to help you!
Click here for more information.

Tags: cooking on a budget, Crock Pot, crock pot meals, Slow cooker

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

I hope you have a  safe and happy holiday season.

Silent Night

Please watch the video above sung by Susan Boyle and footage from Franco Zeffirelli's production of "Jesus of Nazareth."

I hope you get what you wish for this Christmas.  I asked for a crock pot cake tin so there will be more recipes using it in the future.

I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year.  This year as gone so fast and now we have a week until 2010.

Tags: Add new tag, Christmas and holiday season, Merry Christmas

You have a crowd coming for Christmas or the New Year and you are cooking for them.  How do you make sure this event is a success?

Do your homework!  What kind of foods do they like, what can you make, what can you buy, does anyone have food allergies and what is your budget are some of the questions you need to ask yourself.  Draft up a menu and don't forget snacks, bread and drinks.  Pin that up or put it on the fridge for a few days.  You will probably add or subtract to it in that time.

Now you need a grocery list for each dish on your menu.  Check your recipes so you don't forget anything.  Work out when you are going to buy everything.  Perishables will have to be left until last but other goods can be bought ahead and stored.  Work out how you are going to make all the food and which ones you will buy in.  Don't forget the crock pot recipes here as they can be made a day or two before your dinner/lunch.

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Tags: Cooking, crock pot recipes, Holidays

Cooking at Christmas can be stressful.  I seem to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking.  This year I am determined to prepare as much as I can beforehand so I am free to enjoy myself more.  Crock pot Christmas cooking makes life easier for you.  Also if you cook in your crock pot it frees up room in your oven for other cooking.  You can put your crock pot on in the morning and it cooking slowly during the day.  Cook the dessert in the crock pot and have the oven free for the main meal.

I have two size crock pots and the small one is good for cooking foods such as fondues and dips and even making gifts like chutneys and spiced nuts.  You can even make hot drinks such as cider in your crock pot.  Here is a recipe which I think you will enjoy for your Christmas cooking.

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Tags: Christmas cooking, Crock Pot, Fondue

If you like a mess free life then you might like to start using a crock pot liner for your crock pot meals.

Not only are crock pot liners good for no mess cooking but you can use them to transfer food to another contained which is really helpful when taking that cooked dish to another location such as a Pot Luck party.  You can also seal up that liner in the crock pot itself which will help prevent spillage.

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Tags: Cooking, crock pot liners, crock pot meals

This recipe for crock pot spaghetti sauce is one I have made for many years and is a fairly simple one.  The only preparation is the browning of the onion, garlic and meat.  Just turn on the crock pot add the ingredients and cook on low.  You then only need to cook whatever spaghetti or pasta you like to go with the sauce.  I usually use spaghetti but occasionally I will use fettuccine.

This crock pot spaghetti sauce recipe will serve at least 8 to 10 people so it is good for a big family, a party or even to freeze for future use when you are busy. You can also adapt it and add mushrooms, bacon or chili for a different taste.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and find it easy to prepare.

Paulineh's Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

2 lb (1 kg) minced steak (use the best quality you can afford)
3 tabs oil
2 onions chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teas oregano
2 teas basil
2 cans whole or chopped tomatoes
5 ounces (140g) tomato paste
3/4 cup beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1 tab sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Place the 2 tabs oil in a frying pan and heat, add the onion and garlic and stir until transparent.  Place in the base of the crock pot.  Add 1 tab oil and brown the meat in 3 batches and adding to the crock pot as they brown.  Now add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, herbs and salt and pepper and mix well.  Put on the lid of the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours.  In the last hour stir and add the sugar.  This cuts down on the acid from the tomatoes.

To serve cook the spaghetti or other pasta and pour the sauce on top or stir through.  Add Parmesan cheese if you like it.  You can also serve some crusty bread to mop up the sauce and a tossed salad.  Freeze any sauce that is left over for another meal.  I hope you like my crock pot spaghetti sauce.

Need a new crock pot or accessory for it?  Check out the eBay auction for the best prices.

Tags: beef, crock pot spaghetti sauce, Garlic, Onion

If you looking for an easy recipe for the crock pot then this Chicken Thighs Oriental Style is the one for you.  Mix up your marinade the night before and pour over chicken then cook the next day.  Presto, there is your dinner.

I turn the chicken a few times when I think about it so both sides are coated with the marinade.  This helps with the color and flavor so remember to do that step. You can also use drumsticks or wings if you prefer them to thighs.  Here is the recipe.

Chicken Thighs Oriental Style

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teas crushed or minced ginger

1 dsp dry sherry

salt and pepper

1 dsp oil

*1 dsp honey

Mix all the ingredients except the chicken and mix well.  Pour over the chicken pieces and marinate in the fridge overnight.  Turn once or twice.  Spray the crock pot with some oil spray and place the chicken pieces in the base.  Spoon any of the left over marinade over the chicken and cover.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with rice or with vegetables as I tend to do (you have probably noticed by now) as dinner is when I try and get my four serves in.  You can also serve this dish cold with salad.

*  You can use 2 dessertspoons of honey if you like it sweeter.

Tags: chicken, Crock Pot, oriental chicken