Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Whether you want something for a Barbeque, Easter Brunch, or a cheap slow cooker meal, these beans are perfect. I started making them 14 years ago when we had a cupboard full of dried beans and I was not familiar with how to cook them or what else to use them for. Now all sorts of dried beans line the shelves of my pantry for soups, salads, casseroles, and anything you could do with canned beans.

4 cups cooked pinto beans
1 large onion
1/2 pound bacon
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Add beans to slow cooker. Thinly slice the onion and cut slices into quarters. Saute in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until golden brown. Add onions to slow cooker.

With a pair of kitchen scissors, cut bacon slices into 1/2" pieces. Cook over medium heat until fat has run off, drain on paper towels, and add to slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir well to combine. Add water as needed to make beans saucy. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Sample sauce and adjust salt/pepper/molasses/brown sugar to your personal taste.

Sweet and Sour Kielbasa

2 lbs kielbasa
1 can pineapple chunks and juice
1 large onion
1 green bell pepper
1 spicy pepper (your choice, I used poblano)
1 cup cherry pie filling (I buy the sugar-free)
2 TBSP cornstarch
2 TBSP vinegar ( I used apple cider)
1 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar

Cut kielbasa into 1/4" slices, and onions and peppers into bite-sized chunks. Add them to the crock pot with the pineapple chunks setting the juice aside.

Mix pineapple juice, pie filling, cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar. Pour into the crock pot over kielbasa and veggies and cook 4-6 hours on low.

If you don't have cherry pie filling ( I was just using up some that was leftover), just use a 1/2 cup of maraschino cherries and increase brown sugar to 1/4 cup.

If you opened a can of pie filling and have the rest to use up, put it on ice cream, pancakes, mix it into plain yogurt, or use it in a parfait with vanilla pudding and vanilla wafers.

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup thin sliced celerry
1/4 cup shredded carrot

Corn or tortilla chips
Thinly sliced green onions, optional

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, hot pepper sauce and salad dressing. Stir in chicken.

Spread into an ungreased glass pie dish. Sprinkle with blue cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with celery and carrots. Serve with chips or crackers.

Mom's 40 Fave Football Foods

1. Teriyaki Meatballs  
2. Buffalo Chex Mix
3. Spinach Dip
4. Dump Cake
5. Calzones
6. Mac and Cheese
7. Stuffed Jalapenos
8. Baked Beans
9. Baked Tortilla Chips
10. Queso
11. Guacamole
12. Chili Cheese Dip
13. Pulled Pork
14. Homemade Pizza
15. Congo Squares
16. Chili
17. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
18. Peanut Butter Pie
19. Snickers Cake w/ Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
20. Teriyaki Drum Sticks
21. Beer Braised Pork Ribs
22. Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
23. Mexican Mac and Cheese
24. Monkey Munch
25. Peanut Butter Cup Shake
26. Shredded Beef Tacos
27. Red Pepper Dill Dip
28. Broccoli and Cheese Potato Skins
29. Buffalo Drums
30. Steak Lover's Chili
31. Crockpot BBQ Brisket
32. Pork Wontons
33. Pull-Apart Pizza Bread
34. Sticky Ribs
35. BLT Dip
36. Angelic Deviled Eggs
37. Sweet and Sour Sausage Skewers
38. Steak and Cheese French Bread Pizza
39. No-Box Brownies
40. Cajun Chicken French Bread Pizza

Angelic Deviled Eggs

6 eggs
1/4 c hummus
ground black pepper
1/2 tsp yellow mustard
2 TBSP fresh chives, scallions, or dill- finely chopped, divided

Put eggs in a saucepan (that has a lid) and cover with 2" of water. Add a drop or two of oil so that the shells peel easily. Bring to a boil uncovered, turn off heat, and let stand with cover on for 15 minutes. Drain boiling water and fill pan with ice/water to stop the cooking process. Let stand at least 15 minutes to cool.

Peel eggs, cut in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Save 3 of the yolks for another use, or discard. Mash remaining 3 yolks with the hummus, mustard, pepper and 1 TBSP herbs. Put yolk mixture into a zippered quart freezer bag and squeeze any air out of the bag sealing tightly. Cut the one of the bottom corners off the bag, about 1/8" in. Use the bag to squeeze the yolk mixture into the egg cavities.* Sprinkle with the remaining TBSP of herbs.

*If the herbs prevent the yolk from coming out smoothly, cut the hole a little bigger at a time until it flows smoothly.

BLT Dip

I used to make this recipe all the time about 10 years ago
forgot about it until last week when we were making snacks for a gathering. Its perfect for summer and can be served from a bowl, lettuce leaf, or out of a hollowed tomato.

1/2 c. cooked, crumbled bacon (about 6 slices)
1 c. light sour cream
1 c. light mayo
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, grated finely
1/2 c. shredded lettuce

Cook bacon and spread on a paper towel to absorb extra grease. Save 1 TBSP to garnish dip. Combine remaining bacon with sour cream, mayo, tomatoes, and garlic. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Serve in a bowl lined with lettuce leaf or a hollowed tomato and stop with shredded lettuce and bacon. Serve with romaine chunks (I use the bottom where its firm and cut into 1" pieces), cherry tomatoes, or butter crackers.

Jello Shots

Nothing says 3rd of July like a big party and some cool, refreshing spiked jello in a teeny plastic cup (if you are from Pawtucket, you know what I mean). These are great for a large crowd, if you want to share.The quality of what spirit you use will definitely make a difference, but even the cheapest of plastic bottle vodkas will do. Here are some of my favorite combos:



McLean 3rd of July 2009



Tropical, Pineapple, or Strawberry Banana w/ Coconut Rum
Grape, Cranberry, Watermelon, Fruit Punch w/ Vodka
Cherry, Orange w/ Vanilla Vodka
Black Cherry w/ Chocolate Liqueur (like Creme de Cacao, Godiva, Etc)
Berry Blue or Blue Raspberry w/ Raspberry Vodka

Mix jello with 1 cup boiling water. Stir 1-2 minutes until fully dissolved and add 1 cup cold spirit. Stir another minute. Pour into 1 oz disposable cups and chill 4 hours to set. 1 regular size packet of jello makes about 18-20 shots.

Whats your favorite combo??

Pull-Apart Pizza Bread

4 cans refrigerator biscuits (the small cans, sometimes they come right in a 4 pack)
1 c. pasta, pizza, or marinara sauce
1 c. mozzarella
1/2 c. grated parmesan
1 c. pepperoni, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt pan.

Place sauce in a large bowl. Cut biscuits into quarters, and add to the sauce. Toss the biscuit pieces to coat with the sauce, and add cheeses, pepperoni, and italian seasoning. Spread mixture evenly in the bundt pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Allow to cool 15 minutes and remove from the pan. Serve room temperature, tear chunks off and serve with additional sauce to dip.

Pin It

Buffalo Drums

8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds), skinned
1/4-1/2 c wing hot sauce (mine is super hot so 1/4)
1/4 c tomato paste
1 TBSP cider vinegar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c  dairy sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or bottled hot pepper sauce
Celery sticks

Place drumsticks in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine hot sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over chicken in cooker.


Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, and cayenne pepper.  Cover and chill the remaining dip until ready to serve.

Using a slotted spoon, remove drumsticks from cooker. Serve remaining drumsticks with some of the cooking juices, the blue cheese dip, and celery sticks. Makes 4 servings

Broccoli and Cheese Potato Skins

4 medium baking potatoes
salt and pepper
1 c finely chopped cooked broccoli
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
4 TBSP real bacon bits (optional)

Scrub potatoes and bake until soft. Let stand 15 minutes, and then cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out flesh from both sides and set aside for another use.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray skins with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle inside lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, turning over and spraying the unseaoned side halfway through. (For crispier skins, prebake longer).

Remove skins from oven and turn over so they are skin side down. Top skins evenly with broccoli, cheese, and then bacon bits.

Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes. Serve with ranch dip or sour cream.

Red Pepper Dill Dip

1 c nonfat plain yogurt
1 c nonfat sour cream
2 roasted red pepper, drained
5 green onions
1 clove garlic
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp paprika

Mix all together in a food processor until smooth. Serve with veggies, crackers, or pita chips.

* For extra party appeal, remove the seeds and ribs from a big red pepper and serve the dip from the pepper bowl!

Roasted Veggie Tart

1 premade refrigerated pie crust or homemade dough for 1 crust
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 c gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/2 c roasted fresh tomatoes
2 c roasted veggies (onions, squash,  broccoli, peppers, etc)
1 head roasted garlic
1 egg, beaten
Dried chopped onion, sesame seeds, kosher salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, blend mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and roasted garlic.

Unroll crust on an ungreased cookie sheet (or roll dough to 1/8" thickness if you made your own and transfer to sheet). Spread cream cheese mixture in center of crust leaving 1-2" around the edges. Top with gorgonzola or blue cheese and the roasted vegetables.

Fold the bare crust over the toppings, making a fold every 2" to make it circular. Brush the crust with egg and sprinkle with dried onion/seeds.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Foley's Teriyaki Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef and or turkey or chicken
1 small onion, grated
2-3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp oregano
¼ tsp pepper
½-1 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Mix the above ingredients together and form 1" meatballs. Start with 1/2 c breadcrumbs and add if mix is too wet.

Preroast meatballs on baking rack over cookie sheet until browned and  grease drains out.

Mix together and heat:
½ c soy sauce
1 c Worcestershire
3-4 Tbsp honey
1 c brown sugar
¼ c molasses
1 packet onion soup mix

Adjust to taste.

Heat all in crockpot at least 2 hours to let sauce soak into meatballs.

Buffalo Chex Mix

4 cups Rice Chex® cereal
4 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
2 cups Parmesan-flavored crackers
2 cups pretzel twists
6 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 packet ranch dressing mix
2 teaspoons celery seed

In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, crackers and pretzels; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in hot sauce and seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.

Microwave uncovered on High 4 to 5 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

Asian-style Chex mix

3 c. corn Chex
6 c. rice Chex
1 c. Chinese noodles
1 c. Wasabi peas
1 c. raw almonds
2 TBSP soy sauce
5 TBSP butter
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP chili powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oven to 250 degrees. In a 13x9 pan, melt butter, oil and soy sauce. Remove and whisk in the seasonings.

In a large bowl, mix dry snack ingredients. Pour melted butter mixture over cereal and toss well to coat. Return mix to pan.

Cook 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes

OR, in the microwave:

In large microwavable bowl, mix dry snacks; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in soy, sesame oil and seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.


Microwave uncovered on High 4 to 5 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

You can make this ahead and store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Holiday Crangria

This is a great twist on Sangria for a festive holiday drink. I buy tons of fresh cranberries in the fall when they are available and put lots in the freezer for a rainy day (Just wash them, let them dry, and throw into a freezer bag)!

1 orange thin sliced
1 lemon thin sliced and seeded
1 lime thin sliced
1 c fresh cranberries
1 small bottle red wine
1 small bottle white wine
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c water

Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add cranberries and boil 5 minutes to make a simple syrup. Remove from heat, add fruit and let stand at least 1 hour. In a large pitcher, mix fruit/syrup and wine. Serve over ice with a splash of club soda.

Antipasto

2 leaves green lettuce or red lettuce or kale
Tomato Mozzarella salad
Eggplant Caponata
Roasted Zucchini
Marinated Mushrooms
Caramelized Onions
wedge cheese: provolone, sharp cheddar, Asiago, Parmesan
thin sliced meat: salami, pepperoni, capicola ham, prosciutto
Red grapes

Line a serving platter with lettuce or kale. Arrange the salad, caponata, roasted zucchini and mushrooms in the center of the platter.

Cut the cheese to 1/8" triangle shaped slices. Tightly roll the meat. Arrange meat and cheese around the edge of the plate. Fill any gaps with small bunches of red grapes.

Eggplant Caponata

1 medium eggplant
1 medium red onion
1 small zucchini
4 cloves garlic
2 TBSP chopped sun dried tomatoes with oil
1/4 c capers
2 TBSP pesto sauce

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Chop eggplant and zucchini into 1/4" cubes. Finely chop onion and garlic. Mix eggplant, zucchini, garlic, onion, capers and tomatoes. Roast in a dark metal 13"x9" pan, stirring every 10 minutes until veggies are softened and crispy around the edges.

Add pesto and stir well. Let cool and serve at room temperature with crackers or flat bread crisps.

Marinated Mushrooms

1 jar whole mushrooms
red wine vinegar
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Drain mushrooms and rinse well. In their empty jar, fill 1/3 of the way with red wine vinegar, a splash of balsamic, a splash of olive oil. Add seasoning, salt and pepper. Put mushrooms back into the jar and let sit overnight.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

18 medium stalks of asparagus
6 thin slices prosciutto
grated Parmesan
fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch asparagus for 3 minutes, remove immediately to a bowl of ice water. Let stand 5 minutes and drain. Let dry on paper towels.

Lay out prosciutto slices and cut into thirds, lengthwise. Sprinkle with Parmesan and black pepper. Wrap prosciutto slices around the asparagus leaving the tips exposed.

Lay spears on a cooking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Roast about 10 minutes until crispy.