Time to warm up these chilly nights with some savory recipes. Comfort food is quintessential for this impending wintery weather. Simplify your nightly dinner routine and invest in a Crock-Pot. They’re super easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and generate big portions. The Crock-Pot is definitely a must-have appliance in every apartment. If you are not a Crock-Pot owner, purchase your own at one of the following stores:
1. Bed, Bath and Beyond
2. Target
3. Kohl’s
How it Works: It’s easy as 1, 2, 3…
1. Prepare food
2. Set Crock-Pot to desired temperature, and place prepared food into pot.
3. Several hours later… it’s cooked and ready to be enjoyed!
Here are some quick and easy recipes to get you started:
Chicken with a Garlic and Thyme Sauce
Ingredients:
3 pounds whole chicken breasts (with bone), halved and skinned
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1/4 cup of orange juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Prep: 15 Minutes
Cook: Low 5 hours, High 2 1/2 hours
Serves: 6 to 8
1. Sprinkle garlic and thyme over chicken
2. Place chicken pieces into the Crock-Pot and add the orange juice and balsamic vinegar
3. Cook on low-heat setting for 5 hours or high heat setting for 21/2
4. Remove chicken from Crock-Pot. Strain juices into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat. Let it cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
5. Drizzle the juices over the chicken.
6. Enjoy!
Taco Chili
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 15-ounce cans chunky Mexican-style tomatoes
1 1.2-ounce package taco seasoning mix
1 15-ounce can beans
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook: Low 4 hours, High 2 hours
Serves: 4 to 6
Directions:
1. In a skillet, cook ground beef until brown
2. In your Crock-Pot, combine the cooked ground beef, taco seasoning mix, undrained tomatoes, undrained beans, and undrained kernel corn.
3. Cover and cook on low- heat setting for 4 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 hours.
Pot Roast with Mushroom Sauce
Prep: 15 Minutes
Cook: Low 10 hours, High 5 hours
Serves: 5
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound round roast
4 medium potatoes, quartered
1 16 ounce package of baby carrots, peeled
1 3/4-ounce can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil, crushed
Directions:
1. Trim fat from roast.
2. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat to medium.
3. Add meat to skillet and brown on all sides.
4. Place quartered potatoes and peeled carrots in Crock-Pot. Place in browned meat.
5. In a separate bowl, stir together the mushroom soup and 1/2 teaspoon of dried tarragon or basil
6. Pour the soup mixture over meat.
7. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 hours or high-heat setting for 10 hours.
8. Serve!