Slow Cooker Enchilada Stew

Now that there is a chill in the air, and fall is officially here, I can't wait to pull out the slow cooker for some tasty soups and stews!  This one is courtesy of frayedlacesracing.com.  Thanks, Laura!

Ingredients
Three chicken breast fillets (the thin cuts. Mine were flash frozen Purdue, bought from Costco, and I throw them in frozen)
Two cans Enchilada sauce (or make your own, see recipe below)
Two onions, chopped (or one if you don’t like a lot of onion. I do, and my breath is fantastic)
One can of black beans, drained
One bag frozen corn
One to two chopped red peppers, or one bag of frozen, chopped peppers
One bag of chopped broccoli

Directions
Layer the ingredients in the order written. Do not stir. This should fill your crockpot to the very brim. Still have room? Cram in more veggies! Set on low for 8 hours. Once done, shred the chicken and stir everything together. (I also recommend topping with gobs of Franks hot sauce)

Top with sour cream, or cheese, or cliantro, or tortilla chips. Or all four. Or don’t. It’s fantastic as is. Enjoy a tasty and incredibly healthy meal.

Enchilada sauce recipe
2 6oz. cans of tomato paste
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
Whisk everything together until mixed in your crockpot, then continue to layer ingredients as described above

Variations
Basically, this recipe is incredibly forgiving, as is most slow cooker “cooking”. Experiment with different veggies. In the past I’ve used spinach instead of broccoli, which gives it a creamier texture. The key, though, is to keep the broccoli or spinach on the top of everything so it doesn’t cook too much.

Albondigas

This is a Mexican meatball soup that my dad always made when I got sick.  Much better than boring old chicken soup.  It makes a ton, so freeze half of it in individual servings.

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
5 medium carrots, diced
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
Flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Mix beef through rice together with hands.  Make 1 inch meatballs
2. Boil water, approx. 6 cups.  Put meatballs in boiling water with bay leaves and cumin.
3. Simmer 1/2 hour, then skim fat.
4. Add tomato sauce and carrots 
5. Season broth with salt, pepper and garlic powder
6. Simmer 10 more minutes
7. Serve with tortillas.
   

Newcastle Pot Roast

Pot Roast
Ingredients
2  tablespoons  butter
12  cups  sliced onion (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1  (4-pound) beef rump roast, trimmed
1 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1  tablespoon  fresh thyme leaves
1  (12-ounce) bottle dark beer (such as Newcastle)
3  tablespoons  cornstarch
Potatoes:
4  cups  fat-free milk
4  pounds  baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1  teaspoon  poppy seeds
3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. To prepare pot roast, melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 12 minutes or until almost tender. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 40 minutes or until onions are caramelized, stirring frequently. Transfer onions to a bowl.
3. Place pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle roast evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add roast to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. 
4. Add onion mixture, broth, thyme, and beer to pan; bring to a simmer. 
5. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 hours or until tender, turning over halfway during cooking time.
6. Remove roast from pan. Cover and keep warm. 
7. Place pan over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch to pan, stirring with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Potatoes 
Ingredients
4  cups  fat-free milk
4  pounds  baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1  teaspoon  poppy seeds
3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place fat-free milk and potatoes in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. 
2. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. 
3. Mash potatoes; stir in poppy seeds, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
4. Serve Roast with potatoes and sauce. 

Chili Con Carne

When I was in my first or second year of law school, my aunt was having a dinner party.  Her guests were friends from Norway and friends she was going to go on a walking pilgrimage through Norway with.  To show them a true American meal, she decided to serve a variety of chilies.  One was a traditional turkey chili with red beans, one was a vegetarian chili, and the last was this Chili Con Carne.  Tastes like no other chili and is perfect for a cold winter evening.

Ingredients

1 small can of chipotle chilies
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces pork, finely chopped (chops or loin)
2 pounds of beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 large white onions, chopped (approx. 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregeno
1 bay leaf
 Salt
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2 bottles beer (Newcastle is my favorite)
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar

Optional Toppings: sour cream, avocado, cheddar cheese, green onions, tortilla chips

Preparation

1. Remove seeds from 3 or 4 individual chipotle chiles.  Set aside 
2. In a blender, puree 3 to 4 chiles, 1/2 cup of water, and canned sauce (approx. 3 tablespoons, vary for desired level of spice)
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add pork; cook until browned (approx. 3 min per side). Transfer to plate.
4. Working in batches, cook beef until browned, 3 minutes per side.  adding more oil as needed and transferring browned meat to the plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium low.  Add onion and garlic; cook until softened (approx. 6-8 minutes), stirring often.
6. Stir in cumin, oregeno, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons reserved chile seeds (add more for heat, if desired).  Cook 1 minute.  Add chile puree.  Raise heat to medium high; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
7. Return meat to pot.  Add 2 tablespoons salt, canned tomatoes, and beer.  Bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium high.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour, 15min.  
9. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer, stirring occassionally, until meat is tender and sauce is thick, about 30 more minutes.
10. Discard bay leaf.  Stir in vinegar.
11. Serve (very filling, so start with small portions); add toppings as desired.

Beef Burgundy Stew

Best stew recipe I have found.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds lean boneless round steak, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes (I usually just get the beef that is already cut into chunks at the grocery store)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 cups Burgundy or other dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
 2 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
2 cans (10.5 oz. each) beef broth
10 small red potatoes, quartered (1.5 lbs)
6 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 1 pound)
2 small onions, quartered (1/2 pound)
1/2 pound mushrooms, halved
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add steak, and cook 8 minutes on all sides or until browned.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add wine, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves; bring mixture to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes.
2. Add 1/2 cup water and next 4 ingredients (through onions); bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
3. Stir in mushrooms; cover and cook 50 minutes or until steak is tender.  Discard bay leaves.
4. Combine 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to pan.  Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Ladle stew into bowls, sprinkle with parsley.