Looking for simple, healthy summer crockpot recipes

[gracielagata]

We don't have AC, so I resort to using the crockpot, or even my side burner out on the porch. 

But I don't know many summer friendly recipes that aren't all sandwich style. I can only eat bbq and the like so often, lol. 

I can cook the extras, like rice or pasta or mashed potatoes on the side burner outside as well. But I don't like things like beef stew in the heat of summer (does anyone?). And then I like to put a salad with it. 

.... Ones that use beef would be great, as we have a good bit of steak and chunk beef, and even hamburger meat due to buying half a cow. I need to amp up my beef cooking, since I don't have very many recipes!!  

Thanks in advance!  

[gracielagata]

That one sounds good. Thanks.

I think what turns me off most to roasts is that I have yet to find a seasoning method that tastes good- so this is right up my alley, as I love nearly all things non-standard white bread American food lol. I love steak, I love burgers, but 99% of roast recipes I make taste distinctly cow- and not in the yummy rare steak way.


You did remind me to include ropa vieja in my list of possibles! We love that. Will just have to forego the plantains, as they require too much work to cook outside.

[terrilynn]

This is something I just made in the crock pot yesterday. I think it is called Lentil Taco Filling. It was eaten up pretty fast.

Lentil Taco Filling

3/4 cup dry lentils
3/4 cup dry rice
4 cups water
4 beef bullion cubes
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Cook in crock pot on low 6-8 hours. Serve wrapped in tortillas. I add shredded cheese. You could also add hamburger or left over shredded roast.   


Something else I do is cook hamburger in my crock pot. I add a little water and seasonings like salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder. Let cook on high about 4 hours or on low 6-8 hours.  I have made sloppy joes and put them right back in the crock.  I also have made taco meat and put it back in the crock to keep warm then had the taco fixings so everyone could make thier own.

I have more but I don't have time to post right now.....

[gracielagata]

Jun 30, 2015 21:50:15 GMT terrilynn said:

This is something I just made in the crock pot yesterday. I think it is called Lentil Taco Filling. It was eaten up pretty fast.

Lentil Taco Filling

3/4 cup dry lentils
3/4 cup dry rice
4 cups water
4 beef bullion cubes
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Cook in crock pot on low 6-8 hours. Serve wrapped in tortillas. I add shredded cheese. You could also add hamburger or left over shredded roast.   


Something else I do is cook hamburger in my crock pot. I add a little water and seasonings like salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder. Let cook on high about 4 hours or on low 6-8 hours.  I have made sloppy joes and put them right back in the crock.  I also have made taco meat and put it back in the crock to keep warm then had the taco fixings so everyone could make thier own.

I have more but I don't have time to post right now.....

Thanks.
 
Making hamburger meat in the crockpot.... from raw, in the crockpot? And it doesn't taste all gnarly and boiled?

[terrilynn]

I don't know about it tasting gnarly and boiled but it does have a very tender texture and is different than fried. I like it, especially if I am using it in a casserole or it needs to be chopped up fine for sloppy joes or in a sauce in a casserole. And yes I put it in raw.  It might be worth a try and see if the texture is something you like, or would work in certain recipes.  The longer you leave it in the more tender it seems to get.

One other thing I do with a crock pot is fill it with scrubbed, pierced potatoes. Then I have toppings ready for a baked potato bar, things like sour cream or ranch dressing, shredded cheese, cubed leftover ham, leftover chili, cooked broccoli. I find this is a good way to use up leftovers, and everyone can make their potato the way they want. I find that 8 hours on low will cook a crock-pot full of potatoes nicely.  

The leftover potatoes make a quick meal if cubed and browned up in a pan, or cubed  and added to casseroles.

[gracielagata]

No water needed for the potatoes in the pot? I do like the idea of leftover topped baked potatoes.

The hamburger (again, lol)- you don't chunk it up- just toss it in with how much water?

[terrilynn]

Nope, no water in the potatoes, just washed and pierced.

I leave the hamburger in one big hunk, and add water to cover the bottom of the crock. I also season it with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then re-season it after its done cooking and removed from the liquid.

Another dish I just though about making was meatloaf and potaotes. I make a meatloaf, then I peel and slice potatoes and fill the bottom half of the crock with them. Seasoning them with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. I press the meatloaf mixture on the top and press it down. Pour ketchup over the meatloaf. Cook on low for 8 hours.

[shellymay]

I do all roasts pork or beef, and corn beef, and always use Kentucky Legend hams in my crockpot, I cover
meat with water (if I am going to add potatoes/carrots  I use more water) corn beef comes with its own
seasoning packets inside the package of meat but all other meat  I add one full package of lipton onion soup
mix and this alone makes meats in crockpot taste flavorful......I have done boneless/skinless chicken breast
and cream of celery soup/or mushroom soup added and serve over rice or noodles.....Anytime you want to add moisture
to your meats you can use cream soups for flavor and it makes a nice sauce for a topping.

[gracielagata]

I will definitely try the hamburger and the potato methods. Scares me not putting water with the potatoes, since my crockpot is straight from Hades in its ability to get hot and cook in half the time recipes call for, lol.
I do have some corned beef in the freezer. I think I just need to quit thinking of certain foods as meant for specific seasons.
I do the same thing with cream of soups and onion soup mixes, just need to remember those!

Thanks!

[Homesteader]

Try this blog: www.365daysofcrockpot.com/

I haven't gone thru it, but if you scroll down on the first page there, she has a part where she says it's enough recipes to get thru the entire summer!  It's the post dated June 22, 2015.

To find this I just did a google search: 365 crockpot - and this is only one that I found!

[barefootfarmer]

Thanks, Homesteader! I'd forgotten about that site. I've tried several of those recipes and they all turned out nicely.

[Deleted]

I don't use the crock pot much, but use the oven on low (about 225) and I add beer for cooking liquid. Also, when I was out of beer, I've used bourbon with some water. My spice mix is heavy on garlic and some added brown sugar makes a good roast.

[gracielagata]

Thanks for the 365crockpot!
I will remember the beer in the oven for when it is cooler.

[Deleted]

I like to throw a couple pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts into a crock pot mixed with 1/2 a pack of taco seasoning. Top it with a jar of salsa (I use a pint) and cook about 4-4 1/2 hours on Low until chicken is tender. Shred the chicken then add it back to the crockpot along with the other 1/2 of the taco seasoning packet and cook for another 30 minutes.

My family likes this chicken as filling for tacos, in burritos with beans, as a queosadilla or as a taco salad topping. I've even put it on buns with a little cheddar cheese.

[Homesteader]

Oh, a great fast sauce that I am just in love with now:

One packet of lipton onion soup mix (or of course, the homemade equivalent), one cup of ketchup, one cup water. Mix all together and pour over pork or chicken in crock pot, cook. Just delicious, and so fast.

[gracielagata]

Huh.. It isn't too sweet Homesteader? I will keep that one too.

[hmsteader71]

My favorite thing to make in the crock pot is "Royal Round Steak." I use deer steak in this. Cube your round steak and brown on both sides in skillet with oil. Transfer meat to crock pot. Mix 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and a packet of onion soup mix and pour over meat. Cook on low 6-7 hours.

[okiemomof3]

i too have done the "baked" potatoes in the crockpot. i do wrap mine in foil like i would for the oven and then stack pyramid style. it works great!

For your roasts, one thing i love to do is make french dip sandwiches. my family loves these! and the meat and the au jus freeze wonderfully, so this works great in batch cooking. i have even canned this up and it works great as a canning recipe also.

French Dip Sandwiches:

roast - chuck or rump
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube - may need more, to taste
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 peppercorns - i just use pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder

put all this in the crockpot and then add enough water to almost cover the roast. cook on low or on high, depending on how much time you have until supper. When done, remove roast and shred. reserve liquid for dipping (au jus).

butter hoagie buns and toast in oven. place shredded meat on top and lay a slice of provolone cheese on top. put back in oven or grill to melt. put top half of bun on, slice on the diagonal and serve with ramekin of au jus.

[bopeep]

Aug 4, 2015 11:39:30 GMT hmsteader71 said:

My favorite thing to make in the crock pot is "Royal Round Steak." I use deer steak in this. Cube your round steak and brown on both sides in skillet with oil. Transfer meat to crock pot. Mix 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and a packet of onion soup mix and pour over meat. Cook on low 6-7 hours.

That is the way I do my beef roast ... as a matter of fact that is what we are having today ....  I use one can of cream of mushroom and one can of cream of celery and the packet of onion soup ...

[hmsteader71]

I may have to try that with the cream of celery bopeep!

[barefootfarmer]

okiemomof3 your french dip sandwich just went on my menu! My husband LOVES french dip. I'm going to pull out some mushrooms that I had sliced and dehydrated and add those. And I might caramelize some onions for mine. Funny (to me) that you specified provolone cheese. My husband grew up on NY and that was there standard "go to" cheese. I'd never even heard of it until I met him.
Thanks!

[okiemomof3]

that sounds yummy with the mushrooms and onions. i might have to try that next time!! The original recipe called for swiss, but we all prefer the provolone

[manygoatsnmore]

Jul 1, 2015 15:19:25 GMT gracielagata said:

Scares me not putting water with the potatoes, since my crockpot is straight from Hades in its ability to get hot and cook in half the time recipes call for, lol.

Do you have anything you can use as a rack in your crockpot?  One of my slowcookers came with a little rack, but you could even use crumpled up foil balls...just something to get the potatoes out of direct contact with the bottom of the crockpot.  If you are afraid they'll scorch, that should help prevent it happening.

[Deleted]

I just did baked potatoes and 2 sweet potatoes in my crock pot yesterday. I wrapped in foil and put about 1/4c water in. Cooked on high and they were completely done in 3 hrs. We do a baked potato lunch at work periodically.

[pammysue]

Jul 2, 2015 18:36:31 GMT Homesteader said:

Oh, a great fast sauce that I am just in love with now:

One packet of lipton onion soup mix (or of course, the homemade equivalent), one cup of ketchup, one cup water. Mix all together and pour over pork or chicken in crock pot, cook. Just delicious, and so fast.

Thanks Homesteader, I'm going to try this using rabbit in place of the chicken.

More great recipes I'll be trying posted also.  Thanks everyone.

[Deleted]

An old favorite of ours,
A bunch of fresh picked green beans, baby red potatoes, a chopped onion and some sausage or bacon.

[gracielagata]

Thank you all for some more recipes that we can all share!
I forgot about this thread!

I will do the foil ball method for potatoes, that will work perfectly!
And dba: that sounds like[what I assume to be, lol] the southern style green beans... sounds yummy, I will try it.

Tonight is leftover night, as we have too much in the fridge... but I will look to make one of these soon.

[gracielagata]

Aug 8, 2015 2:12:03 GMT manygoatsnmore said:

Jul 1, 2015 15:19:25 GMT gracielagata said:

Scares me not putting water with the potatoes, since my crockpot is straight from Hades in its ability to get hot and cook in half the time recipes call for, lol.

Do you have anything you can use as a rack in your crockpot?  One of my slowcookers came with a little rack, but you could even use crumpled up foil balls...just something to get the potatoes out of direct contact with the bottom of the crockpot.  If you are afraid they'll scorch, that should help prevent it happening.

So I just realized that those metal collapsible pot steamers fit perfectly in the crockpot- Didn't even think about using one for this. 
We are having crockpot baked potatoes for dinner tonight.

We like them with chopped steamed broccoli, homemade cheese sauce and pan fried chunked up spam.
Do you think I could put the broccoli around the potatoes to get it steamed in there for a while? I plan to put some water in the bottom since it is so prone to burning. 

How much time do you think would be needed for 7 medium sized potatoes? (and high or low?).

Thanks again.