Hello My Friends,

After my brief foray into the Land of The Sweet Stuff, I'm back with another tasty Crock Pot recipe, designed for the Weight Watcher who wants an easy to make meal that's also really good for you and low in Weight Watchers Points. Low in fat, and low in Points, this dish is slow cooked with shredded chicken, beans and vegetables, so it's loaded with fiber, protein and other nutrients. This is a great dish that will cook all day in the Crockpot and that will be ready when you get home. I topped it with a dollop of fat free sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Weight Watcher's Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe

Ingredients:

- 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
- 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
- 15 oz can black beans
- 8 oz frozen corn
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
- salt to taste

Directions:

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Makes 8 servings, each with just 5 Weight Watchers Points

NOTE: Try this slow cooker recipe over some Miracle Noodle Zero Calorie Orzo Pasta for no additional Weight Watchers Points!

Have A Terrific Thursday,

Phil

Hello Friends,

Here's a hearty Dish to fill you up without filling you out.

Italian Sausage and White Beans with Sage

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (5 links) Turkey Italian Sausage
1 lb. dried white beans, soak overnight or at least 8 hours
2 stalks celery, cut into pieces
3-4 large cloves garlic
3 sage leaves plus 10 more for Crockpot
1/2 tsp. ground fennel
1 can diced tomatoes (I love Muir Glen organic tomatoes)
1/2 cup water (rinse out tomato can and deglaze roasting pan)

Directions:

In large soup pot, put soaked beans, celery, garlic, and three sage leaves. Add enough water to cover beans by a few inches and cook at low simmer until beans are starting to soften, about one hour and 15 minutes.

While beans are cooking, preheat oven or convection oven to 375 F and roast sausages about 40 minutes, until slightly browned and done through. (They can also be cooked in a frying pan if you prefer.) Let cool enough to handle and cut each sausage into diagonal pieces.

Drain beans, keeping garlic and discarding celery and sage. Chop garlic pieces. Add beans, diagonal cut sausage pieces, 10 sage leaves, chopped garlic, canned tomatoes with juice and ground fennel (if using) to Crockpot. Rinse out tomato can with 1/2 cup water, then deglaze roasting pan with that water, scraping off browned drippings, and pour into crockpot. Cook on high 2-3 hours, or until flavors are well blended. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Hello Friends,

Sometimes it's raining or too cold to cook outside on the Grill, or perhaps you just don't feel like standing over a hot Grill for several hours. No Sunshine? No Grill? No Time? No Problem! You can still celebrate Memorial Day with all your traditional grilled favorites, but prepared indoors. Make many of those delicious barbeque meals with ease, in your slow cooker.

To start us off, one of my family's favorites is this moist slow-simmered chicken. For a more appealing look, I chose a darker brown barbecue sauce, such as K.C. Masterpiece Sauce.

Tender Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up

• 1-1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 1-1/2 medium lemon, thinly sliced

• 1-1/2 (18 ounce) bottles barbeque sauce

• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons regular cola

Directions

1. Place chicken in a slow cooker. Top with onion and lemon slices. Combine barbecue sauce and cola; pour over all. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Ribs

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork baby back ribs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup chili sauce
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash hot sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking pan. Brown in oven 15 minutes. Turn over, and brown another 15 minutes; drain fat.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs, and turn to coat.
4. Cover, and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours, or until ribs are tender. Serves 8.
   

Finally, these are some of the most excellent barbecue beans that I've ever tasted , and your kitchen won't get overheated while they're cooking.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beans

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped raw bacon
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 (16 ounce) cans baked beans with pork
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can red kidney beans, with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can lima beans, partially drained
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1/4 tablespoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Place beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.
3. In a slow cooker combine ground beef, bacon, onion, baked beans, kidney beans, lima beans, ketchup, liquid smoke, salt, hot sauce and garlic powder. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Serves 8.

Have A Wonderful Memorial Day Weekend,

Phil

Hello Everyone,

Tonight, let's make one more round with the Kielbasa. Such a wonderful Sausage. My mother gave this recipe to me years ago, and it has always been a big hit at parties and potlucks. You never have to worry about having any leftovers.

Island Kielbasa in a Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 2-3/4 pounds kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2-2/3 cups ketchup
• 2-2/3 cups brown sugar
• 1-1/4 (15 ounce) cans pineapple chunks, undrained

Directions

1. Place the sausage, ketchup, sugar and pineapple in the slow cooker and mix together.
2. Cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours, until sausage is cooked through. Serves 8.

Hope Your Week's Been Great,

Phil

Hello My Friends,

Very tender and flavorful, this recipe is one of our family's favorites. It's great to make ahead of time in the slow cooker and then serve over rice, egg noodles, or chow mein. Or, if you like, I've included an Orzo and Rice recipe which follows, for a little different taste treat.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
• garlic powder to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Serves 6.

Here's a filling side dish that is also great with chicken. It is a real family favorite in our house.

Orzo And Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 2 cups water

Directions

1. In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add orzo and brown until golden.
2. Add rice, bouillon, and water; bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to medium-low.
3. Simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until all water is absorbed; serve. Yields 4 to 6 Servings.

Have A Wonderful Week,

Phil