Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

Using an average-sized hoagie, I'd say this recipe feeds six.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. chuck roast, excess fat trimmed
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• (*Instead of using basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme, I used 1.5 tablespoons of Italian Seasoning.)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 14.5 ounces can beef broth
• 8 ounces of sliced pepperoncini (For fear of spiciness, use banana peppers instead!)
• 1/3 cup of liquid from pepperoncini/banana peppers
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (I used one cup of frozen, chopped onions.)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves minced garlic (I used 3 frozen Dorot cubes.)
• Hoagie buns or rolls
• Softened butter
• Provolone cheese slices
• 8 ounces giardiniera, optional

Directions:

• Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place the meat in the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown, a few minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker.  (I used my Instant Pot {Slow Cook: Normal, Vent OPEN}.)
• In a small bowl, combine the basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, (or sub Italian Seasoning), onion powder, and red pepper flakes (optional). Sprinkle the mixture over the beef.
• Add the beef broth, sliced pepperoncini (or banana peppers), pepperoncini (banana pepper) liquid, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Give the mixture a little stir.
• Put the lid on the slow cooker (or Instant Pot) and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until meat is cooked and tender. (Mine took a little over 6 hours.)
• Remove the beef and shred with a fork. (At this time, I made sure to remove any additional "fatty" pieces.)  Place the shredded beef back into the slow cooker with the juices, onion, peppers, and pepperoncini (banana peppers).
• Preheat the broiler. Split the buns or rolls in half and butter the insides. Place the buns or rolls butter side up on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until lightly toasted. Don’t walk away; they will toast quickly.
• Use a slotted spoon to drain off some of the liquid so the sandwich doesn't get soggy. Place the shredded meat mixture on top of the toasted buns or rolls.  (For picky kiddos, I made sure their sandwiches didn't have any pepperoncini/banana peppers for fear of "heat" complaint.)  Add provolone cheese slices. The cheese should melt because the beef will be hot. If you want, you also can place the sandwiches under the broiler for a few seconds to quickly melt the cheese. If desired, top the sandwiches with Giardiniera.  Serve immediately.
  *www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Instant Pot Smoky Honey Cilantro Chicken

While this is totally acceptable to make in your slow cooker, making it in your instant pot makes it twelve minutes worth your wait time!

This meat can be used for anything!  Of course, the Mexican flare makes it amazing in tacos, on nachos, perfect for a burrito (rice) bowl, or in a salad, but I've also served them on little Hawaiian slider rolls with a slice of cheese and they're super yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salsa verde
• ½ a large white onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
• 5 cloves garlic (or 5 frozen Dorot cubes)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt (I used two.)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2-3 pounds frozen or thawed chicken tenderloins
• chopped cilantro, for topping
• additional ingredients needed for how you're serving it (buns, taco ingredients, etc.)

Directions:

1. Combine onion, liquid ingredients, + spices in your instant pot or slow cooker.
2. Add chicken and toss to combine.
3. Option ONE: If using instant pot, close and set to manual (pressure cook) for 12 minutes (high pressure).  When timer goes off, manually release steam to allow all steam to release (takes a few minutes).
4. Open lid, shred, combine chicken in its juices, and stir in 1/2 cup cilantro (optional).
5. Option TWO: If using slow cooker, cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until tender.
6. Open lid, shred, combine chicken in its juices, and stir in 1/2 cup cilantro (optional).
7. Based on how you serve it, the chicken may need "squeezed" of its juices (just a bit) to prevent a soggy sandwich or taco or nachos!
8. However, keep chicken stored in its reserved juices to keep it moist!

*www.lillieeatsandtells.com

 

Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken for Nachos or Tacos! (Slow Cooker Option)

Recipe is for chicken only.  Use on chips of choice + add your favorite nacho fixings.  This chicken recipe is even perfect for tacos!  I make this chicken ahead of time, refrigerate, and then take out later when ready to assemble with nachos.  12 minutes and hardly any prep; it's sooooo good!

(See notes below for baking instructions.)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salsa verde
• ½ a large white onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 5 cloves garlic (I used 4.)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2-3 pounds thawed or fresh chicken breasts or tenderloins
• cilantro, chopped (if desired)

Directions:

• Mix together all ingredients except for the chicken.
• Place chicken in instant pot and top with sauce.  Stir to combine.  Close instant pot and set to manual (or HIGH pressure cook) for 12 minutes.   Let the steam release for a while before opening lid.
• Shred, combine chicken with its juices, and stir in ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro.  
  Option:  Cook in slow cooker on low ’til tender, about 6-7 hours.

Notes:

To bake, lay chips out in a single layer in 9×13 dish or sheet pan.  First sprinkle favorite cheese and even queso (if using)!  Top with shredded chicken and bake at 400 degrees, just until melty… about 5 minutes.

*www.lillieeatsandtells.com

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tacos; Easiest Recipe Ever!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 3-1/2 to 4 pound pork shoulder, rinsed and cleaned
• 1 16 oz. jar of your favorite mild salsa
• 1 package corn or flour tortillas
• favorite taco toppings

Directions:

1. Place the first 7 ingredients in a bowl and mix.

2. Place the pork shoulder in the crock pot (slow cooker) and rub all over with the seasoning mixture.
3. Pour the jar of salsa around the pork shoulder.
4. Cook on low heat for 8-12 hours.
5. Remove the pork to a plate and using 2 forks, shred the into bite size pieces (I like to remove the visible pieces of fat).
6. Pour a scoop or two of the juices into the pork and stir to combine (If you want to remove the excess fat from the juice you will use, pour it into a cup and refrigerate it until the fat solidifies and can be easily scooped out. Only the juices will remain.)
7. Place the pork into the tortillas.
8. Serve with desired accompaniments.

*www.weelicious.com

Easy! Crock Pot "Ravioli" Casserole

I'm not sure why this blogger calls it "ravioli casserole," but who cares?  It's easy, and I was able to hide veggies for the picky eaters, and it's yummy.  This serves about 8 people, so prepare for leftovers if you're not feeding a large crowd.  Win win!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (I have used both ground turkey and ground chicken, but feel free to switch up your choice of meat...you can even do a combination!)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
(I also food processed a heaping handful of baby carrots.)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes (Supposedly these break up while cooking, but they were huge and scary to me.  I food processed them before adding to crock, however this step is not necessary.)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt/pepper to taste
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (I used one HUGE heaping handful of fresh spinach and chopped.)
16 oz. bowtie pasta, COOKED (Don't forget to salt your water!)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (Grate your own!)
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded (Grate your own!)

Directions:

Brown meat with onion and garlic (and I seasoned with salt and pepper while cooking). While meat and onions are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions.  Once meat is cooked and onions are translucent, transfer to crock pot and add (carrots if you're using them), tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and seasonings. Cook for 6-7 hours on low.  For the last 30 minutes, add the spinach,  pasta, and Parmesan to crock pot and stir.  Finally, sprinkle the mozzarella on top and turn crock pot on high.    

*www.becomingbetty.blogspot.com

Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken for BBQ Chicken Pizza

This is a two part post; I made the pulled chicken to make little pizzas but I made some adaptations to the recipe to significantly simplify your dinner!  If you don't want to make the pizzas, the chicken is delicious as is, so feel free to stop there and make sandwiches instead!

FOR PULLED BBQ CHICKEN:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (or more or less) cayenne pepper (Use 1/4 teaspoon if you are nervous about heat.)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Whisk together remaining ingredients in a large bowl then reserve 3/4 cup and pour the rest over the chicken. Lift each chicken breast to make sure some of the sauce has gotten underneath then place a lid on top and cook on low for 4 hours or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. Shred chicken then return to the crock pot and cook on low for 30 minutes. Transfer shredded chicken to a separate container then mix with reserved BBQ sauce.

*www.iowagirleats.com

FOR THE PIZZAS:

Ingredients:

• One package of traditional Naan bread (At Whole Foods, it comes in a 4-pack.
• BBQ pulled chicken
• BBQ sauce (Use the same one you used to cook your pork or if you need more, use your favorite store-bought kind.)
• 1 part shredded cheddar (Grate your own!)
• 2 parts shredded Mozzarella cheese (Grate your own!  Fresh slices are delicious too.)
• thinly sliced red onion (I cooked mine, but it's not necessary.)
• freshly diced pineapple (Lots of grocery stores have this pre-sliced for you.  The short cut is worth it.)
• chopped parsley or cilantro, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place slices of Naan directly onto the oven rack for a few minutes just to heat it.  Remove Naan, then place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  

2. Coat the bottom of the Naan with BBQ sauce, then top with pulled chicken, onions, diced pineapple, shredded cheese, and cilantro/parsley.   If desired, drizzle top of pizzas with BBQ sauce and spread out evenly.  

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheeses look melted.  These make great leftovers too!!

*Inspired by Our Best Bites' Grilled BBQ Pulled Pork Pizzas

Barbacoa Tacos (in the crock pot!)

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. chuck roast, fat trimmed and cut into large chunks
• ½ medium white onion, coarsely chopped
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (add 1 Tablespoon of adobo sauce if you like it spicy) (For a kid-friendly version, I only used one chipotle chile and also seeded it.)
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ½ cup beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• Toppings: cilantro, cheese, chopped tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, limes
• Your favorite soft flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Place the chunks of roast in a 6-8 quart slow cooker.

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients (onion through beef broth) to a blender. Blend until smooth.

3. Pour over meat and top with the bay leaves. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or until meat starts to fall apart.

4. Remove bay leaves and shred meat with two forks and then return to the juices in the slow cooker. Serve with a slotted spoon onto tortillas. Top with favorite fixins'; cilantro, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

*www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs with Root Beer BBQ Sauce

These are so fantastic and they fall right off the bone, 

so you don't even have to use your fingers!

Baby back ribs are simple to prepare but you do want to make sure you remove the membrane/silver skin from the underside of the ribs. Here's a simple how-to; the trick is using a paper towel to help grip the membrane as you peel it off. 

Also, when it comes to root beer, brand matters. Choose a root beer that tastes good. Sounds silly and simple but it's really important. As long as you like the taste drinking it straight, you're good. 

Finally, slow cookers. The slow cooker I used is right around 6-7 quarts. The oval shape is ideal for these ribs; however, I still had to cut them in half so if you only have a round slow cooker, try cutting the rib racks in half and stacking them on top of each other or side-by-side.  Don't worry; the top racks of ribs will still cook.  I will admit, a few times during the cooking, I shuffled the top ones toward the bottom so they each got a turn touching the liquid at the base.

INGREDIENTS:

Ribs and Seasonings:
• 3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 racks pork baby back ribs, trimmed (see note above)
• 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced into half moons
• 1/2 cup root beer (see note above)
BBQ Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 cup root beer
• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce 
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce (leave out the seeds for less heat)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the ribs: In a small bowl, stir together the salt, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Make sure to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs (simple how-to here).  Cut racks if needed, then spread the spice mixture over the meaty side of the ribs and rub gently until coated. 
2. Place the sliced onion and 1/2 cup root beer to the slow cooker (see note above for sizes/details) and place the ribs on top. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. 
3. While the ribs cook, make the sauce by heating a saucepan over medium heat with the 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook on medium to medium-low, stirring often, until the onions soften and turn translucent, 7-8 minutes. Add the root beer and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid is reduced by about half. 
4. Stir in the favorite BBQ sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, minced chipotles, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and black pepper - {start with 1/4 teaspoon each and add more to taste.} 
5. Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool slightly and then carefully process in a blender (or use a handheld immersion blender) until smooth. Refrigerate the sauce if making in advance. 
6. When the ribs have finished cooking, preheat the oven broiler and position an oven rack about 4-6 inches from the heating element. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. 
7. Carefully lift the ribs from the slow cooker using a large, flat spatula and tongs (they will be very, very tender - like, fall-apart tender) and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Brush liberally with the prepared BBQ sauce and broil until the sauce bubbles and caramelizes, 2-3 minutes (watch closely so it doesn't burn).  (I brushed it again with sauce after I took out of oven.)
8. Serve ribs with the remaining sauce on the side.

*www.melskitchencafe.com

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small onion, diced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup soy sauce 
• 1/4 cup ketchup 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish 
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, and red pepper. 
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken thighs into a slow cooker. Add honey mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes. 
• Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning to the pot with the juices. Don't discard the juice!  Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes. 
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
• *www.damndelicious.net

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients: 
2-3 lb. chuck roast
1 large onion, peeled then roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled then smashed
15 oz. can beef broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
lots of garlic salt and pepper
4 oz. can chopped green chiles
10-12 corn tortillas (I used 8 and had a little bit of meat left over.)
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2-10 oz. cans enchilada sauce
Toppings: salsa, avocado, sour cream, cilantro

Directions:

1. Trim large pieces of excess fat from roast then cut into 6-8 big hunks. Add onion, garlic, and beef broth into the bottom of a 5.5 or 6 quart crock pot then nestle beef into mixture. Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and pepper and then place the lid on top and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until beef shreds easily. Remove beef then shred and place into a large bowl with enough cooking liquid to make it juicy, but not so much that it’s dripping. (You don't want a ton of juice or your enchilada will be soggy.)  Stir in green chiles. Discard remaining cooking liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9×13″ pan or two smaller pans with nonstick spray, and then spread a couple tablespoons of enchilada sauce in the bottom. Divide shredded cheese in half, reserving half for topping the enchiladas.
3. Wrap half the tortillas in a damp paper towel then microwave for 30 seconds. Spread 1/4 cup shredded beef across the center of each tortilla then top with 1 tablespoon shredded cheese and roll. Place seam side down in the prepared pan then repeat with remaining ingredients. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top, then top with remaining cheese.
4. Generously spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray then place sprayed side down on the pan. Bake for 20 minutes (I baked for about 30) then remove foil and bake for 5-10 (I baked for 10) more minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving with toppings.
5. To freeze: Wrap the unbaked enchiladas with plastic wrap then foil, and then freeze. When ready to bake, thaw for 24 hours in the fridge then remove the plastic wrap, reapply foil that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray, and then bake as directed above.

*www.iowagirleats.com