Classic Crockpot Chili

It's almost that time of year:-) I freaking love Fall- Its the best. I love cockpot meals, and I love that my kids eat them. Chili is one if the easiest to prepare and easiest to make healthy. My kiddos eat it plain, on hot dogs (gross), or (duh) with Fritos. One if them loves ketchup on chili (seriously... so gross), and one loves it on baked potato (even though he doesn't like potatoes)... hmm... boys are wierd. But whatever, cook it like this, and your family can wreck it however they'd like;-)

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (turkey can be used too)
5 cans of beans (I mix light and dark kidney beans with black beans)
1 quart diced tomatoes in juice
1-2 quart stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 large onion
2 cans diced green chilis
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped (or 2 tbs dried)
Juice and zest of one lime
2 tbs cumin*
1 tbs chili powder*
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper

After browning and draining the hamburger, place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Garnish with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Or, if you are like my children, garnish with a bag of Fritos and some ketchup:-)

Leftover idea: drain all the juice and roll the filling in tortillas. Cover in enchilada sauce and bake for 35 mins on 350 for some quick, home made enchiladas.

Omit the meat and use veggie stock for a vegan option. Conveniently, this dish is also gluten, dairy, egg, and nut free:-)

*You can sub taco seasoning for these spices

Crockpot Potato Soup

This is the perfect soup for Fall. The kids love it because its "yummy" and I love it because its easy and inexpensive. Plus, crockpots are great because you only have one dish to clean when you're done:-)

You'll need:
7-10 potatoes, washed and diced (I like Yukon Golds and reds mixed, but any kind will do). In the end it will be about 8 cups.
2 onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 leeks, sliced very thin (or use 2 bunches green onions)
1 quart stalk (chicken or vegetable- homemade is best)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients except the cream in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add cream for the last 30 minutes.

We serve our with bacon pieces on top and steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.

Crockpot Mediterranean Chicken

This recipe is a classic. You really can't mess it up. Inliterally make it different every single time I prepare it, and its always turned out great. It's the perfect lighter dish for fall.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 quart diced tomatoes in juice
3 zucchini, sliced very thick (or sub eggplant)
1 onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, sliced
8-12 Brussels sprouts, cut in half
8-12 green olives, cut in half
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or swiss chard without the stem
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs parsley
1 tbs dill
Lemon juice
3 tbs caper berries
Salt and pepper to taste
Spaghetti noodles (spghetti squash can be used for a lighter version)

Place all ingredients except noodles in crockpot and cook on low for 5-7 hours. Serve over noodles or spaghetti squash and garnish with feta cheese and a lemon wedge. I like ours with a cucumber salad.

Jamaican Chicken Sausage Jambalaya with Rice & Shrimp

I made this for the first time a few months ago, and it quickly became a favorite of my kids.  Even though my three year old insists that it is "hot dog soup"- gross- it gets him to eat it.  So... sausage, hotdogs, whatever:)

It is easy to make and can be pretty healthy and "clean". The crockpot version is easier, but it can also be made in a stockpot. Both versions are below.

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I have also used chicken breasts but dark meat is better in this recipe)
18 ounces smoked link sausage (I use a mix of pork, beef, and chicken)
1/2 to 1 pound shrimp, de-veined and peeled
1 quart diced tomatoes in the juice
2 bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 package sliced mushrooms
4 tbs Wildtree Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (You can order the mix from my personal website)
OR use 2 tbs cinnamon, 1 tbs nutmeg, 1/2 tbs cayenne pepper, 1/4 tbs thyme, 1/4 tbs oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
Rice (optional)
Cilantro and parsley- as garnish (optional)

Place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. During the last thirty minutes, add the shrimp.

Serve over rice with some fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges. If you left the chicken whole, shred with a fork once cooked.

If you use a stockpot, cube the chicken. Saute the chicken in some olive oil. Add the veggies and saute until tender. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Turn to simmer and add the shrimp. Serve like you would the crockpot version.

Jambalaya without the shrimp

So So So Easy Pot Roast

I forgot how great a good roast is! I made one for dinner tonight.. first time in months. Dang, I need to do this more often. Especially now that it's almost Fall.

I have talked to so many people that are "intimidated" and don't feel like they can make a roast turn out properly. That's just crazy talk.  They are so easy. Plus... SO worth it.

They are cheap: chuck roasts were on sale, so I got about 8 pounds of boneless meat for around $12. While that sounds spendy, think about how far 8lbs of meat can go.

They are easy: mine fit in my crockpot. I added a few ingredients, turned it on, and walked away. Dinner= done. The person who invented a crockpot deserves a lot more credit than they're getting.

They are clean: Crockpot. That's it. No pots, pans, spoons, whisks, etc to clean up. Just one dish. So simple.

This dinner is a complete dinner. Protein, carb, veggies. You don't need a side dish (although I cut up fresh cantaloupe and cucumbers and we also had fresh bread).

It goes a long way: 8 pounds of meat feeds a lot of people. Especially when served with potatoes. Leftovers galore!

They are versatile: Roast the first day. French Dip sandwiches with au jus the second day. Philly cheesesteak the third day (just use roasted pepper and mushrooms with swiss and provolone cheese.. yum!). You can make amazing paninis with pepperjack cheese, meat, and the onions from the roast. I like to cute up the meat and put it in salad for lunches. Oh, and beef enchiladas... holy cow those are good!

Here is what I did to make my roast today. Keep in mind, there are so many different ways to do this, this is just my fast "I have three kids under 9 and I work all day today" recipe. If I had two days, this recipe would be fancier.

First thing is to prep the vegetables. I used:

2 white onions, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
3 celery sticks, cut into two inch chunks
7-10 small red new potatoes, washed, skin on, halved
1 can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
3 cloved garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Pinch (literally, a pinch) of red pepper flakes for a little kick
2 cloves, whole
1 bay leaf

First, I browned the meat in a skillet. I just used a little olive oil and cooked the msat on all sides. Total it took maybe 5 or 6 minutes.

Place the meat in the ceockpot and add the veggies and spices. Pour the tomatoes over the top. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.

Ta-da!!! Pot roast!

Hint: add about 1/2 cup of beer and its delish!

Meat and Veggie Soup *then magically* Beer Stew!!!

It's freezing outside, so it's time for some soup recipes.  I love soup because 1. It warms everyone up. 2. It's filling. 3. It's usually fairly easy and inexpensive to make. 4. It's easy to make it healthy and "hide" vegetables and other things in it. 5. Leftovers! 6. You can make it in a stockpot or a crockpot, which requires hardly any effort and almost no cleanup. 7. Easy to make adjustments, like omit pepper and add eggplant, for example. 8. SO EASY to make allergy friendly!  I have so many friends and relatives that can't have gluten, dairy, sugar, etc. Soup is easy to make without pesky ingredients that your family can't have.

Oh yeah, and you can freeze the leftovers for a quick dinner someday when you don't feel like cooking (I'm stocking up for maternity leave).  I did it when I was pregnant with my son and it was SO worth it.  Brilliant.

This recipe is pretty basic.  It follows the Paleo diet too, which wasn't on purpose, but can't hurt, right?  My grandfather makes a version of it, but usually uses lamb and adds barley.  I love potatoes right now, so skip the barley and sub the elk meat that I have in my freezer, and this soup is almost free:-)

You'll need:

1 quart of canned tomatoes (I used more- one quart plus some more.  I can my own tomatoes so I always have extra in the fridge.  You can also use fresh if you'd like)
2 quarts broth (I used beef broth because that's what I had.  Again, I usually make my own and freeze it, so I have used vegetable stock and chicken stock in place and it tastes fine).
About 1-2 pounds of meat of your choice, chopped into bite size pieces.  I LOVE lamb, but I don't always have it.  Beef is great, as is deer or elk (the other flavors get rid of the "gamey" taste.  You could also omit the mat for a vegetarian/ vegan soup).
5 potatoes of your choice, diced (I used medium sized Yukon Golds, so if you use larger potatoes like Russets, or smaller ones like Reds- my fav- just adjust to how much you want).
3 cups of green beans (This is a guess, as I used frozen beans from the garden, so I'm not sure exactly how much it was.  You can use fresh or frozen, but keep in mind the frozen don't take as long to cook).
1 bell pepper, diced (I like green and Kevin likes red.  It doesn't matter which you choose)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 or 2 onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt, pepper, oregano, parlsey, and a little thyme (I used all dried and just added until I though it tasted right)

Per usual, saute the carrots, celery, onion, pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil until softened.  Add the potatoes and meat and saute until browned.  Add all of the rest of the ingredient except the beans and spices.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about an hour, covered.  Add in the beans and spices and simmer until the beans are done.

Turn down to low and cover.  Keep warm until you are ready to eat.

You can also do this in a crockpot, although you may have to half this recipe if you don't have a large crockpot.  Just add everything except the beans and cook on low for about 4 hours.  Add the beans and cook for another hour.  I like this method because i can get it ready the night before and have it cook while I'm at work during the day.  Dinner is ready when i get home and there is hardly any cleanup.

Now comes the exciting part.... TA-DA!!!

The next day, instead of having the same thing again, make it into something even cooler by adding a few things.

Warm the soup on the stove and add (what I call) "butter balls".  I call it that mostly because it's funny, and parlty because I don't know what these things are actually called.  What you do is you take equal parts butter and flour and roll it together in your hand until it forms a tiny ball.  You can add these little balls to anything to thicken it, which is what we are doing to this soup.  If you used marble size butter balls, you will probably add between 7 and 12, depending on how much soup you have leftover.

Of course, this is the perfect opportunity for some trickery:  Puree steamed vegetable like spinach, kale, zucchini, red pepper, and add them in as well.  Your kids won't know that its extra- healthy and you score mom points for preventing illness;-)

Then, add half a can of beer.  It doesn't matter which kid as long as it's not some weird flavor, like pumpkin ale.

Serve this thickened stew with shredded cheddar cheese (or smoked cheddar) on the top.  YUMMMMM...

And of course, the leftovers will pair well with.... beer! The first one will pair well with a red wine like merlot.

The Easiest, Fastest Casserole. Kid Friendly AND Cheap!

Usually I don't use canned food, and I stay away from store bought frozen food.  However, I am pregnant, tired, and I have been pretty ill lately because of it.  Sometimes, I have to bite the bullet and just not be Martha Stewart for five minutes (and be more like Rachel Ray.... haha, only some of you will get that;-))

Tonight I needed a cheap, easy dinner that could be made fast and last a few days (during soccer season we eat leftovers often).  This is what I came up with, and I have to say it's pretty yummy!

Tuna Casserole

1 box whole wheat penne pasta (of course you could also use orzo, macaroni, or rice)

3 cans tuna or salmon (in water, not oil)

2 cups frozen broccoli pieces

2 cups mixed frozen vegetables (I used peas and carrots, but lima beans, green beans, corn, etc will work)

1 cup frozen pepper strips (I buy the rainbow kind, which are actually usually cheaper than buying fresh bell peppers, so that is a win)

2 8oz containers Greek Yogurt

2 cans cream-of-something soup (I used mushroom, but chicken or celery would also work.  The low fat or fat free kinds are great!  When I was pro Martha Stewart, I would keep homemade creamy "soup"/ sauce frozen so I could use it in cases like these.  I am much lazier now.)

bread crumbs

cheddar or parmesan cheese (optional)

salt and pepper

Boil the pasta al dente.  Drain and put in a large bowl.  Add all of the other ingredients except the bread crumbs and cheese.  Mix well and put into a large casserole dish (I actually had to split mine into two smaller ones).

Sprinkle the cheese and bread crumbs on top.  If you want, you can also add some bread crumbs and cheese to the inside.  The amount is your preference:-)

Bake on 375 for about 30 minutes and enjoy with some salt and pepper (or, if you are like me, some Tabasco! Mmm) 

Of course, if you had more time to prepare, you could use fresh veggies, homemade cream sauce (simple white sauce recipe), and chicken instead of tune (which you shouldn't eat often anyway because of the mercury levels).  I would have added shredded carrots, mushrooms, and spinach.  I would have loved to use brown rice instead of pasta, but you need to cook it for about 50 minutes because baking (follow the package directions).

It is also possible to make this in the crockpot, but it won't be as crispy on top.  

This dish can be frozen and baked at a later time.  Great back up for unexpected dinner guests! 

Tomato Basil Soup - with Variations for Tomato Roasted Red Pepper or Tomato Florentine Soup

Tomato soup is one of my favorites because you can do so much with it.  You can add almost anything to it, and it wouldn't taste bad.  You could make it any style- Mexican, Italian, Greek, vegan, whatever- and it would make a great main dish, or a yummy side.  Plus, it's very inexpensive to make and goes a long way.  When I make it I usually make a double batch and freeze some for later.


The recipe below is for a creamy tomato basil soup, and below are a list of variations of the recipe and how to make them.  

Busy Mama Recipes


Creamy Tomato Basil Soup


2 quarts canned, peeled tomatoes, whole or diced (You could substitute fresh tomatoes if they're in season)
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 large white onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs oil (I ove Wildtree's Basil Pesto Grapeseed Oil, but olive oil or any other oil will work)
1-2 quarts stock (I like to use vegetable stock, but chicken stock works too.  The amount of stock you use depends on how thick or thin you want your soup)
1 bunch basil, leaves only,  cut into chiffonade ribbons
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs dried parsley
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400.  

OPTIONAL: On one baking sheet, spread out the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic evenly.  On another baking sheet, spread out all of the tomatoes (save the juice in a container for use later).  Roast in the oven for about thirty minutes, or until vegetables are slightly browned.  This will enhance the flavor of whichever vegetables you roast.

In a large, heavy bottom stock pot, add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and sautee in olive oil until tender, stirring often.  Deglaze the pot with the red wine.  Add tomatoes, simmer until hot and tomatoes are tender- about 15 minutes.


Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning and sticking (the thinner the soup, the less likely to burn). Turn down heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, uncovered.  Take the soup off of the heat and let cool for a few minutes before pureeing with an immersion blender.  Be careful not to splatter.  Puree until you get the desired consistency.  Add the heavy cream.  If the soup is too thick, you can add some tomato juice left over from the jars or more stock.

I can my own tomatoes from the garden, so they tend to be very robust in flavor and acidic.  The heavy cream helps mellow that flavor.  If you want vegan or dairy free soup, leaving out the cream will not hurt.  


Add basil, spices, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. 

• For Tomato Florentine, substitute spinach leaves for the basil.
• Add cilantro and a roasted poblano pepper for a Mexican style soup.  Serve with creme fraiche, lime wedges, and cotija cheese.
• For a Mediterranean style soup, add chopped fennel bulb and eggplant to the veggies, and garnish with feta cheese.
• For a vegan soup, use vegetable stock and omit the cream.

Crockpot Variation:  Add all ingredients except cream to a crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours (or low for 7 hours).  Blend with an immersion blender and add the cream at the end.