Easy Pumpkin Maple Meatballs -2 Ingredients

I don't think these Pumpkin Maple Meatballs could get any easier folks. Your favorite frozen meatballs, a jar of pumpkin maple spread from Aldi (or any store that has something similar), and a slow cooker. I used my Little Dipper Crock Pot and about half a jar of the jam. Only two ingredients Lynn? Ok, if you'd like to add a little something else... How about some pumpkin pie spice. Or dare I say... Maybe a few shakes of hot sauce? But honestly, my crew says it was perfect as is. And I mean the whole crew this time! This is a nice sweet seasonal treat perfect to snack on after leaf raking, a trip apple picking, or pumpkin hunting at the garden center. 

And of course it's great for... 

Football parties:@)

How to make a Barbie Crock Pot here.

Let's change up our hosting routine and try something new while the pumpkin flavors are available! Maybe even tuck a jar away for Thanksgiving... Just a thought.

The Aldi jam I used:

As a point of reference I used 14 bite size meatballs and half of a 12.5 oz jar in my Little Dipper Crock Pot. There was room for a few more meatballs.

Pumpkin Maple Meatballs

1. 1 lb+ frozen cooked meatballs
2. 12 oz jar Pumpkin Maple Spread
3. Place meatballs in slow cooker, cover and cook on high for an hour.
4. Pour jam over meatballs reserving a few tablespoons to stir in before serving. 
5. Turn temp to low, place paper towel under lid, and cook for about two more hours or until heated through. (My Little Dipper is only one temp, I use at least 2 1/2 hours).
6. Stir in reserved jam. 
7. Stir and serve with fun food picks. 

🍁🏈Enjoy a snack and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Frozen Crushed Tomatoes -Small Batch Preserving The Garden

As the garden winds down and the season comes to an end the tomatoes start to look a little worse for wear. One way to try to use them up is to make some *simple* Frozen Crushed Tomatoes. The key here is it’s just an idea to eliminate waste and nothing too fancy. We can make as few or as many as we'd like or have. The excess liquid can be cooked out on the stove, or if you’d like, in a slow cooker. I used the stove because it goes a lot faster. My son adds some basil. I just made tomatoes, they can be used for spaghetti sauce, chili, soup, or stews. 

As a point of reference, I used four large tomatoes, cooked them for 1 hour and 15 minutes. This gave me about 1/2 C of crushed. Yep, preserving is a labor of love folks:@)

It was another good tomato year from the raised bed garden, although they did ripen almost three weeks later than last year. At this point I’m beginning to pull plants and clean things up.

My Preserving Pinterest Board HERE.

My DIY Barbie Pinterest Board HERE.

Frozen Crushed Tomatoes

• Wash and core tomatoes. Cut into quarters. Pushing the seeds out is always a nice idea, I didn't. Same with the skins, I left them on, just used the whole tomato. *Next time I'll run my thumbs through them to remove most of the seeds.
• Pulse about 6-8 times in food processor or chop with a knife. 
• Add a pinch of salt, bring to boil. Reduce to medium low, stir occasionally so they don't scorch or burn, and cook until reduced and liquid has evaporated. This will take time, plan this project for when you are home for a few hours.
• Cool, place in freezer bags or cups, label, and freeze.

🍅Let's use up what the garden gifts us,

and Have a Happy Day:@)

Hamburger Meatballs with Ketchup Sauce -Slow Cooker Appetizer

The idea behind these Hamburger Meatballs with Ketchup Sauce is, they are for the gathering where burgers are -not- being served. This is a nice easy appy that starts with frozen meatballs and has a four ingredient sauce. The sauce is sweet and very similar to the topping some meatloaf recipes call for. And best of all, just toss it into a slow cooker (I used my Little Dipper Crock Pot) and let it heat up while you straighten up the house, or gather your team gear and get ready for the game. I say add a pizza and it's a party:@) The recipe below is specifically for the 2 Cup Little Dipper Crock Pot, you'd need to increase it as desired.

I had to chuckle, while on my bloggy break my son said the thing he missed the most were the different meatball recipes, here you go Jay:@) Football may be done for now, but March Madness is right around the corner and so is baseball season... Should be another fun year for the Phillies!

Slow Cooker Hamburger Meatballs

1/2 C ketchup

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1 Tblsp relish, I used sweet relish, didn't have dill on-hand

8oz-ish frozen meatballs (or enough to fill Little Dipper Crock Pot)

1. Add sauce ingredients to vessel, stir to combine.
2. Add meatballs, stir to coat. 
3. Put paper towel under lid, cook for 2 1/2-3 hours or until meatballs are hot.
4. Serve with fun food picks.

Snack Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Slow Cooker Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut & Potatoes

As life gets back to the normal routine of fall and back to school, sometimes it's nice to toss everything into a slow cooker before we go about our day... This Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut and Potatoes was a hearty easy meal, and the caraway seeds added a great layer of flavor. The recipe is easily scaled down and I used a standard 2 quart Crock Pot. It took about 3 hours on high, and the sausage turned out as shown. I would suggest cutting the sausage into 3/4-1" thicker slices, mine were a little thin. Using the low setting might work out best too. Overall, this is a good recipe to tuck away for when we need it, after a batch or two to figure out the best cooking time:@) Slow Cooker liners help make clean-up a breeze, and can even be found at Dollar Tree.

Use Polish sausage, kielbasa, or smoked sausage of choice.

Slow Cooker Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut & Potatoes -from Cooktop Cove

1 package sausage, cut into 1/2-1" rounds

16 oz sauerkraut, drained

6 small potatoes, quartered

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 bay leaf

1/2 C chicken broth or vegetable broth

S&P to taste

1. Add sauerkraut, potatoes and sausage to sprayed 4-6 quart vessel (or use a liner).
2. Top with everything else.
3. Cover, cook on low 6-8 hours, high 3-4 hours. Mine went about 3 hours on high in a standard Crock Pot.
4. Stir and serve.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Heinz 57 Kielbasa Appetizer -Oven, Grill, or Microwave

These Heinz 57 Kielbasa Appetizers are a nice two ingredient munchie that can be made in the oven, quickly heated in the microwave, or tossed into a disposable pan on the grill for tailgating and summer bar-b-ques:@) You can probably make it in a slow cooker too, but I haven't tried that (yet). I love kielbasa and smoked sausage as an appy, it's something not everyone thinks of serving and I always have some in the freezer. The sauce is pungent and perky, and a nice change from BBQ sauce. Simply slice up the sausage, generously smother in Heinz 57, heat and eat-good stuff folks!

I bought a new Heinz 57 at Dollar Tree:

If you like a little heat, you'll like this:@)

Use the flavor you have on-hand,

the pics are with traditional.

Super easy and perfect for game day:@)

Heinz 57 Kielbasa Appetizers

Kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut into bite size pieces

Heinz 57

1. Add meat to baking dish or disposable pan.
2. Smother in sauce, bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until meat is heated through. Or microwave at 20 second intervals until heated through. Or grill over medium until meat is heated through, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve with food picks.

Enjoy a munchie and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Easy Perky Party Meatballs -A1 Sauce, Slow Cooker

I saved this recipe for Easy Perky Party Meatballs for a couple reasons... I happened to have some A1 Sauce in the fridge, and I'm always looking for new game day munchies:@) I also liked that it called for a slow cooker, I scaled it down and used my Little Dipper Crock Pot. These meatballs are surprisingly tasty! The sauce is tangy and thick (I added the 'Perky' to the title), and as long as you have some A1, it comes together quickly with pantry ingredients. Don't hesitate to give them a try folks, I think you'll be pleased. Heck, it's hot outside, I called this lunch the day I made them...

Easy Perky Party Meatballs-from here

32 oz frozen pre-cooked meatballs

14 oz bottle ketchup

1/4 C A1 Sauce

1 Tblsp minced garlic

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Add meatballs to vessel of  3 quart slow cooker.
2. Mix everything else for sauce, pour over meatballs.
3. Place paper towel under lid and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until meatballs are hot. I cooked mine for 2 1/2 hours in the Little Dipper.
4. Serve with fun food picks.

⚾🏈Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

To me, the slow cooker/Crock Pot is supposed to save us time, so I really don't want to have to cook something before I add it to the vessel. Also, I'd prefer to have only one thing to clean:@) So instead of making a white sauce and adding cheese, then pouring it over potatoes, I simply layered a few ingredients as a little food experiment... While these Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes might not be gourmet, they certainly will be a nice hearty side dish. I had them with dinner, and they reheated well in the microwave to serve with eggs for breakfast.

Waxy potatoes are best in the slow cooker, why did I use russets? Say it with me now... Because that's what I had on hand-right. For reference: I made one pound in my 4 quart Crock Pot. Crunchy ends from the side of the vessel:

I also used a liner for super easy clean-up. Honestly, the liners are my favorite part of slow cookers:@)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

For each 1 lb potatoes:

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Seasoned salt

Onion powder

Black pepper

1. Peel or leave the skin on the potatoes, wash well. Slice potatoes very thin. A mandoline is the best tool for the job (please use the guard).
2. 4 quart slow cooker: Either spray vessel with cooking spray or use a liner.
3. I split the potatoes in to three piles. Spread first layer into vessel. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, onion powder, and black pepper.
4. Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
5. Add the next layer and repeat... Add third layer and repeat...
6. Place towel under lid, cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Enjoy an easy side dish, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Hot Dog Love♥Stuffed Jalapeno Pigs in a Blanket, Deviled Dogs & Amish Sweet Heat Mustard

Sometimes I think hot dogs are a little underrated... Just sayin'... So I thought we'd put together a round-up of a few fun ideas for the last couple weeks of football:@) Let's start with Stuffed Jalapeno Pigs in a Blanket. Talk about elevating a snack! These take a little work, but are worth every second. Maybe make half with 'penos, half the good old fashioned way with just the roll and weenie.

These Deviled Hot Dog Bites are a retro 1952 recipe from Franks, and the perky taste will wake the crowd up at half time for sure:@)

And the last recipe is for a condiment, we all ~loved~ this Amish Sweet Mustard Spread for hotdogs or pretzels. Heck, it's so good you'll want to smear it on everything! Don't hesitate to try it folks, I think you'll like it:@)

Looking for more party food ideas?

My ♥Pinterest Boards here.

🏈Enjoy the party prep, and

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Meatballs with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce-Two Ingredient

If your crowd likes a little sweet heat, you will love this Meatballs with Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce Appetizer. I made mine in my Little Dipper Crock Pot, but this is truly a heat and eat snack... Stove top, oven, microwave, all will work. And it's absolutely perfect for these last few games of football with a nice cold beverage... Hearty snacks don't need to be involved or fancy folks, sometimes the best tasting things are the simplest:@)

Serve with fun food picks,

or small appy forks.

My chili sauce came from Dollar Tree:

Your favorite brand will work great... 

Meatballs with Sweet Red Chili Sauce

1. Generously cover cooked frozen meatballs with sweet red chili sauce. 
2. Heat in slow cooker with paper towel under lid, oven, microwave or on the stove top, until meatballs are heated through.

Enjoy a snack and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Winter Projects-Pineapple Jam, German Red Cabbage & Fast Rise Yeast Rolls

The holidays are over, it's cold outside, and we're looking for new things to try indoors. May I suggest a few cooking projects... I chose Pineapple Jam because it's made with canned pineapple that's easily accessible year-round. I have a Small Batch recipe here, and a robust Pineapple and Citrus Zest Full Batch here. Both are very good:@) Need to use up a different fruit, or want a different flavor? My Jelly and Jam Pinterest board can be found here.

This German Red Cabbage can be made either in a slow cooker or on the stove top. But no matter how you make it, it's very tasty and I encourage you to give it a try:@) 

And even though I know some folks might still be on their New Year's diet, I did want to add a bread project... These Classic Dinner Rolls are a ~faster~ version because we use rapid rise yeast. They do still require planning, but it is well worth the time! Or maybe you're curious about the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, you can find that here.

So there you have a few ideas to try something new

 and help make the house smell great!

Have a fun weekend:@)

Hawaiian Pizza Dip -Oven or Little Dipper Crock Pot

Can you feel the excitement of playoff football in the near future??? Big games call for great snacks and this Hawaiian Pizza Dip is a winner! Mix, do a little layering and bake (or add to your Little Dipper Crock Pot) and you'll have a hearty munchie that's ~almost~ as substantial as lunch... It's also a nice way to use up some leftover ham. I whipped this up as an appy for Sunday dinner and it was a big hit, my favorite dipper was the bagel chips, you can even find them at Dollar Tree. Don't hesitate to give this a try folks, it's good stuff:@)

Recipe is easily cut in half or even less, 

just guesstimate, it doesn't need to be exact.

Hawaiian Pizza Dip-from Three Boys and a Dog

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 C shredded mozzarella cheese-divided

1/4 C parmesan

14 oz jar pizza sauce

1/4 C diced onion-I forgot this

1 tsp garlic powder

8 oz ham, chopped

8 oz crushed pineapple, drained well

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes-optional

Dippers: Crackers, Frito Scoops, French bread, Melba toast, bagel chips, etc.

1. Mix cream cheese, 1C mozzarella, parmesan, pizza sauce, onion, and garlic powder. 
2. Pour into sprayed baking dish. I used a shallow 23 oz Corelle dish for half of the recipe. I'm guessing a 1 quart to 1 1/2 quart would be fine for the whole recipe. Or even a pie dish.
3. Sprinkle on top, ham, pineapple, the other 1C of mozzarella, top with the Italian Seasoning and pepper flakes if using. I just added a few shakes of the pepper flakes.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned. 
5. Alternately: Mix everything, add to Little Dipper Crock Pot, place paper towels under lid, plug in for about 2 1/2-3 hours.

Enjoy a snack and have a happy day:@)

Christmas Side Dishes: Pea Salad, Corn Pudding, Cheesy Broccoli Casserole, and more...

When it comes to holiday meals, it seems to me that in my family, we have a little more wiggle room to try new things at Christmas than Thanksgiving. So... I have a few suggestions in case you're looking for something a little different this year, and one is make ahead, one uses a slow cooker, and one is just full of cheesy goodness:@) We'll start with this pretty, refrigerated, make stir and serve, Christmas Pea Salad. I love the red and green colors! If you want to get extra fancy you can use a mini cookie cutter in a star shape and add some red pepper stars to the top...

We all know oven and stovetop space are at a premium during the holidays, that's why I like to have a few Crock Pot recipes on-hand... I'll share a pic of Corn Pudding using Jiffy Mix, but also give links to Mixed Vegetable Casserole and Slow Cooker Stuffing.

This Frozen Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Casserole is on my dinner list for this year, and I'm debating about giving it a twist and adding some cooked macaroni too... Kinda like a Broccoli Mac and Cheese, we'll see:@)

Finally, may I suggest giving cole slaw a little tweak by adding some unexpected ingredients... Apple, Walnut, Raisin (or Dried Cranberry) Coleslaw looks great, but tastes even better:@) This was a huge hit with my crew, and I think it's time to make some more!

Looking for more ideas? 

You can find all of my Pinterest Boards HERE.

🎄Happy Holiday Planning,

Have a Great Weekend🎅

Cocktail Franks with Cherry Pie Filling Appetizer -Slow Cooker, Stove Top, Microwave, or Oven

As we're truly into the Christmas countdown and entertaining season is in full swing, it's always good to have one super easy appetizer that whips up in seconds, and can be scaled down, or makes enough to feed a crowd. These Cocktail Franks with Cherry Pie Filling check all the boxes folks:@) Basically they only need to be heated up and served with cute food picks. Fastest way, microwave until heated through. Alternately, heat on stove or in oven. And the ultimate, guests are coming later, dump into Crock Pot, turn to low for 3 hours, and finish straightening up the house...

My best serving suggestion: Add a spoon to the vessel and have folks eat from little cocktail plates.

I've seen several variations of this, some call for 3 Tblsp of brown sugar and pineapple chunks. I think this basic idea has been around forever, don't stress the measurements, grab a can of pie filling at Dollar Tree and use up to 1 lb of franks. Get a second can if serving more. If your store has the 21 oz size, no problem...

Cocktail Franks with Cherry Pie Filling

1 lb cocktail franks

1 lb cherry pie filling-can use either the 15 oz or 21 oz it will be ok

~Heat everything and serve.

Enjoy a snack and have a happy day:@)

Cheater Tamale Meatballs-Slow Cooker, Oven, or Microwave

Disclaimer: Absolutely nothing authentic here folks... This is just a tasty little snack. I debated about calling these Tex/Mex Meatballs, but decided to stick to my original thought, Cheater Tamale Meatballs. Super simple and only three ingredients, frozen meatballs and enchilada sauce served on the wide dipper type Fritos. Tell me that doesn't sound like football food:@) The key to the tamale part is serving with the corn chips. You can make as little or as much as you want, I used my Little Dipper Crock Pot. This could also be heated in the oven, or even in the microwave. 

In a perfect world,

this would be great using mini meatballs. 

Cheater Tamale Meatballs

• Fill slow cooker vessel with cooked frozen meatballs, add canned red enchilada sauce. 10 oz can was more than enough for my Little Dipper Crock Pot. 
• Cook in Little Dipper about 2 1/2 hours, or on low for about 4 hours. I like to add paper towels under the lid to collect condensation.
• Or bake 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until meatballs are heated through. Or cook in microwave until meatballs are heated through.
• Serve with wide Frito type corn chips.

Enjoy a snack and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Sweet Potatoes with Hard Cinnamon Candy

These Sweet Potatoes with Hard Cinnamon Candies would be a very pretty holiday side dish. I loved the occasional small bite of the candy, and the red adds some nice seasonal color. No rules here folks, love butter-add lots. Want more cinnamon flavor or sweetness-add more candy. Love black pepper-yep, adjust to taste. Hitting the candy once with a hammer creates all different size bits and some dust, simply open the wrapper and pour it in. Will the candy all melt? I guess that's a possibility, but mine didn't. If you want to ensure a little color, save a candy or two to stir in before serving. This is different, and totally unexpected:@)

I cooked mine in my ♥Instant Pot, or the sweet potatoes can be steamed on the stove. This whole side dish can also be made and served in a slow cooker, only one thing to wash, and saving precious oven space too. 

More holiday sweet potato ideas: 

Sweet Potatoes-with Applesauce, Slow Cooker
Sweet Potatoes-with Bourbon or Brandy

Sweet Potatoes-Coconut Mashed, Slow Cooker

Sweet Potatoes-Mashed with Pumpkin Spice-Slow Cooker
Sweet Potatoes-Savory Twice Baked or Mashed

Sweet Potatoes with Hard Cinnamon Candy

For each:

1 lb sweet potato, peeled, washed, 1/2" cubed

5 or more hard candies, hit once with a hammer while still in wrapper

Butter

S&P to taste

1. Steam sweet potatoes until soft (6 minutes in ♥Instant Pot with 1C water, automatic release). Or add sweet potatoes to slow cooker, paper towels under lid, cook on high for about 2 hours, or low 3 1/2-4 hours. *Every slow cooker is different, I suggest a test batch before the holidays.
2. Add to bowl (or leave in slow cooker vessel), add butter, S&P.
3. Open wrapper and pour in candy, saving one or two if you choose to. Stir with fork, lightly mashing sweet potatoes as you go. 
4. Taste, adjust flavor as desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

What to bring for Thanksgiving if you don't bake...

We all want to contribute a little something when we visit for the holidays, but let's face it folks, not everyone likes to bake. So I thought I'd do a little round-up of different ideas and links to recipes and my Pinterest Boards for inspiration. Sound like fun? Good:@) I think when we all hear of fudge we think fussy, and thermometers, and lot's of work. And yes, that fudge is amazing... But I'm here to say you can make some ~easy~ and darn good fudge by starting with a quality chocolate chip. I encourage you to try this Microwave Rum Raisin Fudge and it might just become your signature holiday dish...

Fruitcake Fudge ~ Maple Walnut Cranberry Fudge ~ Everything with my Fudge Label

And I don't think any hostess would mind you showing up with this Cranberry Meatball Appetizer. Just be sure it's already warm and in your own slow cooker ready to serve. Maybe you even bring some cute food picks... Perfect:@) Meatball Pinterest Board here.

With charcuterie still all the rage, how about some Holiday Stuffed Celery with cream cheese, bacon and dill. Easy and this variation is honestly really pretty:@) I've shared over 14 different stuffed celery variations, why not make a sweet and savory tray. Maybe cut them into 1" bite size pieces and again, add some food picks for serving.

And you probably already guessed I'd add Deviled Eggs:@) People kinda think they are a lot of work, but they do come together fairly quickly, especially if you use a disposable icing bag to fill the whites. Another tip: Easy Peel Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs Technique-it works! You could make your Grandmom's basic recipe, or add lots of additional flavors, or even make them silly looking. My Deviled Egg Pinterest Board has 73 ideas and continues to grow...

And speaking of silly... A personal favorite, Cranberry and Strawberry Jello Mold with Apple, Celery and Walnuts. Talk about a conversation starter:@) Just look at that gorgeous color folks... Oh my, tell me this doesn't scream the holidays... Or how about an orange colored Carrot and Pineapple one. My Jello Pinterest Board here.

Why not pick up a bag or two of candy corn while it's marked down and make some kiddy table party favors... These Turkey Toes are literally as easy as pouring candy into bags and adding ribbon-done. And they're sure to bring a giggle or two:@)

Or maybe you'd like to bring a quick no-sew project for the kids... These Holiday Aprons fit Barbie, Curvy Barbie, Ken, Action Figure Dolls ~and yes~ even Elf on the Shelf:@) I'd cut them out ahead of time and bring ribbon and embellishments for the kids to glue together-fun! And of course the fabric could be any design or color. My Barbie Pinterest Board here.

So there you have just a few ideas from almost 14 years of blogging. My Recipe Index shares everything I've made broken down by category if you have something specific in mind. And I do have a Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Food and Desserts Board here. I hope you find something new to make!

🦃Happy Holiday Planning and

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Slow Cooker Fresh Green Beans with Brown Sugar & Butter

Ok, I'm not suggesting we eat this Green Bean with Brown Sugar & Butter side dish often... But I am suggesting we treat ourselves every once in a while:@) Especially if we have fresh string beans growing in our own garden! And here in Philadelphia, we still have time to gamble on one last planting, where beans will be ready to pick towards the end of October. This recipe works best with really plump, pudgy, almost over-ripe beans... We've all seen them. These are sweet, buttery, soft, and yummy. A great side dish with a more savory protein. 

Normally my family enjoys our beans with a little bite, this is a nice change of pace:@)

Fresh Green Beans with Brown Sugar & Butter

For each 1lb fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into bite size pieces, washed

3 Tblsp butter

3 Tblsp brown sugar

Pinch S&P

1. Rinse beans under cold water, remove from colander and add to vessel of slow cooker. *For ease of clean-up, can use a slow cooker liner.
2. Add pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Add dots of butter to top of beans.
4. Sprinkle top with brown sugar.
5. Cover, I suggest adding a towel under the lid, and cook on high for about 2 hours. 
6. Stir with each serving and serve with slotted spoon.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Slow Cooker Chicken with Mushroom Soup Gravy-Easy Retro Comfort Food

As summer winds down I find myself craving good, old fashioned, stick to the ribs, comfort food... Mainly, gravy and mashed potatoes:@) It was a Saturday and I also wanted to smell something good cooking for hours... So I tossed this simple Chicken with Mushroom Soup Gravy into the Crock Pot and patiently waited until dinner. My chicken was frozen, I used one large breast, and a two quart slow cooker. This will make two hearty meals, or 3-4 if you stretch it more into a type of stew with lots of vegetables. Liners help make clean-up a breeze, and can even ~occasionally~ be found at Dollar Tree. Sorta white for pictures... Chicken and mashed potatoes. But I will say, it didn't last long on the plate.

Nice thick gravy:

You know you want some... :@)

Chicken with Mushroom Soup Gravy-Slow Cooker

One large or two smaller boneless skinless chicken breasts-mine was frozen

1/4 tsp seasoned salt-I used Lawry's original

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dry thyme

few grinds black pepper

10 oz can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

chives or parsley for garnish-optional

1. Add chicken to vessel, I used a slow cooker liner.
2. Sprinkle spices over top of the chicken.
3. Pour soup over chicken. No other liquid required.
4. Add lid, turn to low, cook for approximately 4 hours or until chicken is done. Will cook in less time if using thawed chicken, the beauty of this is that you don't need to plan ahead, 4 hours-ish from frozen. **Please note all Slow Cookers run at different temperatures, times will vary.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes, or starch and veggies of your choice.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

No Sugar Micro Batch Apple Butter -Little Dipper Crock Pot

I had four apples leftover and they were starting to look sad... So I thought I'd whip up a little No Sugar Apple Butter, and to help flavor it, I used pumpkin spice because I think it seems a little sweeter than plain cinnamon. This is truly a set it up and let it do it's thing recipe, I used my Little Dipper Crock Pot. Have more apples? Use a larger slow cooker. I also used a liner, ~love~ the easy clean-up:@) Add spices to taste once done cooking. Four small apples made about 4 oz. Good stuff folks!

Now, this is ~your~ apple butter...

Want it a little sweeter?

Either let it cook down longer, 

or add sugar to taste.

No Sugar Micro Batch Apple Butter

1. Peel, core and small dice apples.
2. Add to slow cooker vessel, use a liner if desired.
3. Place towel under lid and cook on high for about 2 1/2 hours..
4. Remove lid, mash apples.
5. If home, continue to cook on high, if leaving mostly unattended turn to low. Leave lid off and stir occasionally. Cook until liquid reduces and butter becomes brown and thick. *I used the Little Dipper and cooked mine for about 10 hours.
6. Cool, add lid and store in the refrigerator.

Let's use it up and have a happy day:@)

Slow Cooker Onion Potatoes

I don't know what newspaper or church cookbook this is from, but I did save the recipe for these Slow Cooker Onion Potatoes the minute I saw it on Pinterest. Super simple, three ingredients, quick to prepare, tasty, and great with sour cream:@) I only had russet potatoes on-hand the day I made it. I find the best potatoes for the Crock Pot are ~always~ red or yellow waxy potatoes. So if shopping to try this, I suggest picking waxy up. This is a good side dish for summer because it doesn't heat up the house, but it would also be perfect as we're about to enter the cooler months.

I also suggest a test batch on an easy day,

every slow cooker cooks differently.

Recipe says 5-6 hours.

Mine were done in 4 hours.

Once you know, you know:@)

The original:

Slow Cooker Onion Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, diced-I suggest large waxy potatoes and about 3/4-1" diced

1/3 C olive oil-I would cut back, just coat well

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1. Add potatoes and oil to zip top bag, shake well.
2. Add soup to bag, shake well to coat.
3. Pour into slow cooker. I used a liner for easy clean-up.
4. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. I added a towel under lid.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)