A Few Fabulous Crock Pot Recipes That Never Seemed to Make it onto the Blog

If you know me, or have been a reader for a pretty long time (read- read the blog when I actually blogged often) then you know I am totally in love with my crockpot. I even have a link to the top right that has all our favorite recipes in one spot for you.

But I just noticed that somehow I have never blogged about a couple of our favorites! I am gonna go ahead and blame that on having a kid, mmmkay? Haha! So here are a few of our easy crock pot favs, just in case you need some ideas:

Ranch Crockpot Porkchops

I found this recipe from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes via Pinterest. We dont usually do the potatoes part and just make instant ones. We are an instant potatoes kinda family. So basically you just take:

• 4 or 6 pork chops
• 1 packet of ranch seasoning (we get the big container so 3 tbsp of that)
• 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

Throw it all in the crockpot, and cook on low for 8 hours. I tend to throw my meat in frozen. This is sooo yummy.

Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

These are yummo! Found this recipe on Mostly Homemade Mom via Pinterest as well.  You will need:

• 3 or 4 chicken breasts
• 1 pk Onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup water
• garlic salt to taste (I think i use 1 1/2 tsp)
• sliced swiss cheese
• hamburger buns

Put chicken in crockpot and coat on both sides with onion soup and garlic salt. Then pour dressing and water over. Cook on low 8 hours then shred. I put cheese on buns and broil until cheese melts. Make a sandwich and enjoy!

Planning those Meals

Up This Week:

• Monday we had Beef Stroganoff in the Crockpot (It turned out super yummy).
• Tuesday we had baked potatoes and zero point soup.
• Wednesday we will be Trunking or Treating at Church.
• Thursday we are having Lemon Dijon Chicken with Potatoes (minus the tapioca unless someone can tell me where on earth to find that stuff?!! Searched Walmart high and low with no luck...).
• Friday we will be eating leftovers.
• Saturday we are going to eat One Dish Chicken Bake.
• Sunday we are taking nacho cheese and chips to Community Group. 

What will you be eating??

Meal Plan Monday

• Monday: Crockpot Shredded Chicken Sandwiches and Green Beans (Super yummy with the swiss cheese! I put my buns and swiss under the broiler for a few minutes and it made them perfect!)
• Tuesday: Ranch Burgers and Steamed Veggies
• Wednesday: Dinner at Church
• Thursday: Yuki! & Freezer Cooking Shopping with Haven
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Freezer Cooking Extravaganza with Haven! (Remember the last time I did this? So excited to do it again!)

We have mostly already planned out freezer meal menu, but does anyone have a freezer meal that is just amazing and we just MUST do??? 

Meal-to the-Plan-to the-Monday!

I am really feeling back in the groove around here- we have meal planned for 4 weeks in a row! Whoa!
Up this week:

• Monday Night: Pecan Crusted Pork chops, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Béarnaise Sauce and Green Beans (yeah I randomly decided we needed to eat like kings tonight... no one complained, lol!) 
• Tuesday Night: Asian Tomato Beef in the Crock-pot
• Wednesday: Dinner at Church
• Thursday: Salmon, Brown Rice and Green Beans
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Grilled Chicken and Veggies 
• Sunday: Taking some type of Appetizer to Community Group Game Night! 

Right after I graduated from college, I did a leadership/missions program with the KBC in Louisville. One of the "discipleship" things we learned was how to cook/entertain. Emily Stewart made us all kinds of goodies, but this pecan crusted recipe was one of my favorite takeaways. I have not made it in YEARS. I suddenly have a desire to get back in the kitchen and cook things that remind me of our early marriage days. Weird but yummy :-) Mr. Pate is a fan of this phase! haha! 

Pecan Crusted Pork Chops (also works well on Salmon!)

6 Pork Chops

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp mayo (I used sour cream tonight and it worked well too)

1 tbsp oil

1 slice bread, torn into small pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp parsley (or 4 sprigs fresh)

Turn oven to Broil. 

Mix mustard, mayo and oil in a small dish (one you can fit a pork chop in). 

Place bread, pecans, salt and parsley into food chopper and pulse until finely chopped. Place onto a plate or in a shallow dish. 

Dip pork (or salmon) into mustard mix and cover on all sides. Then dip in pecan mixture until coated well. 

Place pork on a broiling pan and Broil 6 " from heat about 10 minutes or until brown. Then flip and broil 10 more minutes or until cooked thru. 

Serve with Béarnaise sauce (add 1 tbsp dijon to it). So yummy!! 

Meal Plan Monday

Last week we ate at home/starbucks (we took Mr.Pate dinner) four times! Go us! My goal this week is 5 times, so we shall see.

• Monday: Ranch Pork Chops in the Crockpot with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes (its a pinterest find so I will let you know how it goes)
• Tuesday: Bacon & Potato Ranch Chicken in the Crockpot
• Wednesday: Dinner at Church
• Thursday: Salmon, Quinoa and Green Beans
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Baked Potatoes and Panini Sandwiches

Ok- does anybody else have their week planned out?? 

Add another one to the list

We found another keeper crockpot recipe, so of course I am going to share!

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken in the Crockpot

4 chicken breasts
1 bottle of Honey (or Hawaiian if you can find it) BBQ Sauce
1 can crushed pineapple (the bigger can)
Brown Rice

1. Put the chicken in the crock pot.
2. Pour BBQ sauce over chicken (whole bottle).
3. Pour pineapple over that.
4. Cook on low for 8 hrs.
5. Serve over Brown Rice. Yummo!

Found this one on Pinterest, but it called for Hawaiian BBQ sauce and our Wal-Mart did not have that. So we choose honey and it worked great.

What have you been putting in your crock pot????

One Stop Crock Pot

We all know I love my crock pot. So I have been meaning to take all of my crock pot recipe posts and link them in one post for easier finding, but I kept forgetting. So without further ado, my crock pot recipes:

• Asian Tomato Beef
• Bacon Ranch Chicken
• Brown Gravy PorkChops
• Chicken and Dumplings 
• Chicken and Noodles
• Salsa Chicken 
• Yummy Rice 
• Hawaiian BBQ Chicken in the Crockpot
• Yummy & Easy Roast

So do any of you have a go to crock pot meal? Or something delicious I just have to try?? Please share!