My favorite crockpot cookbooks...

A friend recently asked what my favorite crockpot cookbook was. I really like cookbooks- BUT they need to have PICTURES. Otherwise, they don't inspire me enough... I want a picture for every recipe, or almost every recipe... These two fit the bill.

Cooking Light Slow Cooker

So-Easy Slow Cooker (Better Homes & Gardens)

I have made many recipes out of each and really enjoy both of these cookbooks!

Black Bean Soup

3 cans of black beans (undrained/ unrinsed)
1 can of Italian diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 cups of chicken broth
2 tbsp taco seasoning
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots (or whatever vegetables you need to use up)

Chop up vegetables with a food processor or blender. Combine vegetables with rest of ingredients in 3 quart crock pot. Stir. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6. Longer on a lower setting is better.

Before serving, put soup in blender, then back in the crock pot. Be careful, it is hot. Don't fill your blender too full like I did or else you will have hot soup spattering out the edges when you turn it on. Not fun. And yes, I did use a lid on my blender, but I filled it too full and hot soup came out the edges. Yikes.

This soup was very good- but I recommend Beano if beans bother your tummy. This is a lot, a lot of beans.

Mint Brownies in a Mug

I saw this recipe on A Year of Crockpotting and I just had to make it. I was kind of obsessed with it. I had to get it out of my system.

Here's the details: Buy some mint brownie mix. It was on sale at Safeway for about a $1.69- what a bargain. Make it up, pour it into mugs (however many can fit into your largest crockpot). My Hamilton Beach 6-qt. fit 5 mugs o' brownie. Bake on high for 2-3 hours. Mine took 3 hours. The mugs are going to be really hot- turn off the crock pot, take off the lid and cool for a long time. Serve warm mugs of brownie with ice cream. Yummmmm.

My kids were EX-CIT-ED about these. I made them try my black bean soup in order to have one. They ate only one bite of the soup- they hated it, but they tried it. What a tough mean mom I am.

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped onion
1½ tbsp taco seasoning
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp molasses
1 tsp dry mustard
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
¾ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 2-pound boneless pork loin roast (or shoulder)
8 hamburger buns

This one is from one of my favorite cookbooks- Cooking Light Superfast Suppers: Speedy Solutions for Dinner Dilemmas
Everything is always good.

I often double this recipe. Use a 3 quart crock pot for this recipe and a 5 or 6 quart for a double recipe. I made this for my family when we were staying in the Steven’s Pass area for the weekend. I even forgot the Worcestershire and it was still good. I just used a little extra cider vinegar and molasses to make up for it.

Cut the pork into 4 pieces (8 if you double the recipe). Combine meat and all ingredients in the crock pot. Stir with a large spoon until mixed and meat is coated. Cook on high heat for one hour and then reduce to low for 7 hours. If your crock pot runs hot or the meat seems like it is drying out, add a little water. Remove pork and shred with 2 forks on a cutting board or plate. Return the shredded pork to the crock pot and stir well to coat with sauce.

Serve on buns. A little coleslaw on the bun is yummy. I learned that from Greg at BI BBQ. I am sure that nothing I make is as good as the food at BI BBQ. We love it there.

Neal's Pork Spareribs

4 1/2 pounds boneless spare ribs
1 onion
1 lemon

Cut up the ribs into 4-5 rib segments and place on a baking pan. Then sprinkle with chopped onions and squeeze ½ lemon over pork ribs. Cook for 30 minutes at 450.

Put ribs in crockpot and top with following sauce. Neal used another recipe and made up this sauce- it was good!

1/3 cup vinegar
2/3 cup ketchup
1 cup orange juice
2/3 cup water
6 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp molasses
½ lemon squeezed into sauce

Mix together all ingredients. Make up the night before- turn on crockpot on low in morning and cook for 7-9 hours. The meat will be falling off the bones after 9 hours, so cook for less time if you don’t like that. I would also recommend buying a lower fat set of ribs. These were a little fatty and I don't like that very much.

My favorite crockpot....

Out of all the members of my crockpot family, do I have a favorite? Why yes I do! The Hamilton Beach has recently become a part of my family after I ordered it on a whim from amazon.com (I love amazon). I also have a 6 quart Rival, but I think it cooks everything too hot- even at low, it simmers. So I banished it to the family cabin, where I still cook with it, but not as often. (Caveat- I do have two 3-quart Rivals that are not such hot cookers!)

The Hamilton Beach cooks everything just right and is definitely the best crock pot I have owned. Here she is...she can be yours for $49.99. Not bad...

Hamilton Beach 6-qt. Programmable Slow Cooker - 33966

Louisiana Spinach-Shrimp Dip

We went to a party this weekend, so I used it as a chance to try out a recipe for this yummy dip. I turned out great. I cooked it at home and brought it over to the party. Once we got to the party, I just left the pot unplugged and it stayed warm for quite a while. We served it with crackers and celery for dipping.

1 can cream of chicken soup
3-4 cups fresh baby spinach (steamed and chopped)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, cubed
4-6 ounces baby shrimp, rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
Celery sticks and crackers for dipping

Steam spinach for 5 minutes. Drain and chop on cutting board. The spinach will still be a little watery, so be prepared with some papertowels or a cutting board with a well around the edge.

In a 2-3 quart crockpot, combine soup, cooked and chopped spinach, cream cheese, shrimp, onion, seasoning and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Stir before serving. Serve with celery and crackers.