Crockpot Lasagna

I gotta admit, I've only attempted lasagna one time and it was a huge failure (which is why I never tried again). I know so many people make it and say it's so easy and blah blah blah.. there are just a few things that I don't make because for some reason I always screw them up (ie brownies ( I know right, the easiest dessert to make), pie). Anyway, I saw this recipe for crockpot lasagna and thought maybe this was my answer. Turns out it was!

Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients

1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef
1/2 cup diced white onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 whole egg
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
6 uncooked lasagna noodles

Directions

1. In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain.
2. Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.
4. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.
5. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high.
7. *Works best with a 4 to 6 quart size slow cooker.

Aisian Beef Kabobs

I've made these many times and they're always a crowd pleaser! I've used a different cut of meat, but flank steak is definitely the best to use.

Asian Beef Kabobs
Makes 12-15 kabobs

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon barbeque sauce
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
skewers

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, barbeque sauce, green onions, garlic, and ginger.
Cut flank steak across grain on a diagonal into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Pour hoisin sauce mixture over slices, and mix well. Refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Discard marinade, and thread steak on skewers.
Oil the grill grate. Grill skewers 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas

Stacy made some yummy fajitas when we were out at the cabin a couple weeks ago, so I got the recipe from her and made them a few days ago.

Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) beef flank steak
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped*
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium green pepper, julienned
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 12 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• sour cream
• salsa
• Avocados/quacamole

DIRECTIONS

Thinly slice steak across the grain into strips; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Add onion, peppers and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Using a slotted spoon, spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Add sour cream, salsa and quacamole. Fold bottom of tortilla over filling and roll up.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Nothing beats coming home from church on Sunday to a house that smells like dinner cooking in the oven (or in this case, a crock pot). I love roast and potatoes on Sunday, takes me back!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Recipe from adapted from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 4 pounds chuck roast *seasoned with Montreal Steak seasoning*
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 packet dry onion soup mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6-8 red potatoes, cubed
• 
  
• DIRECTIONS

Take the chuck roast and rub Montreal Steak seasoning on all sides then season with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat.

Pour water, beef broth and soup mix into crock pot. Add browned roast to crock pot, cover and cook on low setting for 3 hours.

After roast has been cooking for 3 hours, add carrots, onion and potatoes to crock pot and continue to cook on low setting for another 5-7 hours.

Good ole Sloppy Joes

Everyone loves a good sloppy joe in the summer time. Last week I decided since summer is ending I needed a sloppy joe. I've never made them from scratch, but decided most things are better from scratch so I'd give it a go. They were yummy!

Sloppy Joes - recipe from Sweet Life in the Valley

• 2lbs ground beef
• 1 large onion chopped
  
• 1 large green pepper chopped
  
• 2 -8oz cans tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup Heinz organic ketchup
• dash of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs brown sugar
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef and chopped onions-season with salt and pepper. Add green pepper, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Let simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Serve on wheat bun or wheat bread with a good cheese.
Will make 4-6 good sized Sloppy Joe sandwiches