Easy dinners are my thing. And the Crock-Pot makes things even more convenient. My Chicken Spaghetti recipe has been a favorite on the site for awhile. I decided to make it more fuss free by sharing the slow cooker version!
Don’t be afraid! I know this dump and go method looks gross. Trust the process! It all adds to the ease of this recipe. Just pour in the goods, cover it all with a lid, and go on about your life.
Kid approved! This Chicken Spaghetti made in a slow cooker is magically delicious. That was corny. But, this stuff is a life saver for busy households! It stretches and goes a long way. Serve with a veggie and some crusty bread. Dinner is served!
Cookies, dough and active yeast scares the mess out of me! Oh, Hi! Sorry. I just got right to it. But, yeah! That whole bread making stuff…I’m not ready. So, that’s why I’ve been ignoring king cake recipe requests for two years! I know, I suck! But, I think I’ve come up with a healthy medium that will make all of us happy! Monkey Bread King Cake!
Thank God for that little white dough boy that made these magical tubes of cinnamon rolls! All you have to do is pop the top and bake! Perfect! Makes king caking a breeze! Cinnamon and sugar already included. They even added the frosting! Win!
Ditch the package instructions on those rolls, though. We’re going to make our own rules now. Just bake until golden. This will take about 25-30 minutes. Feels good not having to wait on yeast to rise, right?
This sauce is my favorite. It’s like pralines without the pecans. If you’re a fan of nuts, go ahead and add a few! That will take this every more over the top!
I combined the frosting from the rolls with cream cheese and a couple of extras to make this heavenly frosting. It’s the perfect foundation for the colorful sugars we’ll add next!
Definitely can’t celebrate Mardi Gras without the signature colors! Use a spoon to sprinkle on those sanding sugars. Perfect job for the kiddos! Let them make a mess! It tastes better.
Place half of the cinnamon roll pieces into the Bundt pan.
In a saucepan, melt the butter
Stir in the brown sugar, 1/3 cup of the heavy whipping cream, and the vanilla extract
Bring to a low boil
Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes while stirring.
Remove from heat
Pour half of the candied sauce evenly over the cinnamon roll pieces in the bundt pan
Place the remaining pieces into the pan
Then, pour the rest of the sauce over the cinnamon rolls.
Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.
Flip the Bundt pan over onto a cake plate
Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, frosting from the cups included in the cinnamon roll tubes, powdered sugar, and 1 TBS of heavy whipping cream.
Whisk well.
Pour the frosting over the king cake.
Decorate the cake by sprinkling the sanding sugars on top.
This is by far the best pasta I’ve ever had! No, I’m not just saying that because I made it. It seriously is the best! Not only is the flavor incredible, it’s extremely easy to prepare. The chicken is juicy and and cut small enough to get a piece in every bite! Rigatoni is most popularly used in red sauce. But, it is perfect for Alfredo as well. Its cylindrical shape stores up the right amount of sauce to leave you pleasantly surprised when you chew. It’s easily become my favorite, go to pasta recipe! And I’m sure it will be yours as well.
There are countless slow cooker jambalaya recipes across our wonderful, worldwide web. To my dismay, none of them resembled the Jambalaya I’m used to. You know I had to change that! Growing up in Southern Louisiana, I’ve had my share of bowls of the best Jambalaya! The Jambalaya I’m accustomed to isn’t red. It’s more brown based. Instead of a soup being served over rice like Gumbo, our version is comprised of rice. It’s spicy goodness and I have to show to how it’s done in my neck of the woods!
All in the Seasoning
The heart of this recipe is the spiced broth! I like to start by blooming spices in chicken broth. I pour the broth in the bottom of my Crock-Pot, then pile on the spices! I do this because I do not season the actual chicken pieces. I solely rely on the broth to flavor the chicken. Works like a charm!
Release the Grease
Since we’re using a slow cooker, it’s impossible to achieve those nice crisp edges on our sausage coins. We have to brown them a bit before adding them in. You can do this by sautéing them on the stove. Or, popping them in the oven for a few minutes. I choose the oven. This will also reduce the amount of added grease in our dish from the sausages.
Ditch the Fork
Down here, we shred the chicken after it’s cooked. An easy way to do this is to dump the chicken into a stand mixer and let it rip! 30 seconds of mixing will yield perfectly shredded bird. No more forks!
Parboiled Rice is the Trick
Parboiled rice…I’ll give my beginner cooks a chance to google it. Got it? Cool. This is what I like to call “Jambalaya Rice”. The worst kind of situation is to have gummy rice in this dish. It’s not the business! Parboiled rice is also great to use in any slow cooker recipes containing rice. It’s cooks beautifully in Crock-Pots.
Don’t Forget the Shrimp
I totally did this initially. Prepared the dish and became so excited with the outcome that I forgot to incorporate the shrimp! It’s really perfect without the shrimp for those with allergies. You won’t miss it. But, my seafood lovers should definitely add in the shrimp! Now, this is good ole Southeast, Louisiana Jambalaya!
The absolute best Cajun style Jambalaya recipe. Patterned after the traditional Jambalaya served in southern Louisiana, the recipe is flavorful and filling. Loads of chicken, sausage, shrimp, and rice. This is a full meal all in one.
Ingredients
6bonelessskinless chicken thighs
1lbsmoked sausagebrowned*
1lblarge peeledraw shrimp
1onionfinely diced
1bell pepperfinely diced
2celery stalksfinely diced
1TBSminced garlic
3cupschicken broth
2-3TBSCajun or Creole seasoning
2TBSpaprika
1TBSonion powder
2tspgarlic powder
1TBSItalian seasoning
1TBStomato paste
2cupsparboiled rice**
Fresh parsley to garnish
Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray
Pour in the chicken broth
Add in the Cajun seasoning, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste
Add the chicken thighs
Add in the onion, bell pepper, celery, and smoked sausage
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4-5 hours.
Remove the chicken and shred it.
Return the chicken back into the slow cooker
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Stir in the rice
Cover and continue cooking on HIGH for 1 hour or on LOW for 2 hours.
Stir in the shrimp.
Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes on HIGH or until the shrimp are fully cooked
Stir and fluff.
Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*To brown the sausage, place it into a shallow pan and bake on 375°F for 10 minutes.
**Using long grain white rice will alter the timing and texture. Parboiled rice is recommended for this dish.
Brisket can be a very intimidating meat. I know. Because, I was terrified of the thing for years! When I realized that I could prepare it in a slow cooker, a gain an instant sense of confidence. Do you really mean to tell me that I can cook a dang brisket in a Crock-pot? Hell yes!
My local meat market only had flat cut brisket available. That’s why the mine may look a bit different from the larger chunk you may be used to. No worries, though. This recipe will work for all cuts of brisket.
Don’t Lose the Fat!
The layer of fat on your brisket may be thick or thin depending on the cut you’re using. I prefer to have a 1/4 inch layer of fat on my brisket. I find that it keeps the meat perfectly juicy without an overload of thick fat covering the meat. But, you never want to trim all of the fat off your brisket. The fat has all of the flavor! I don’t add any additional liquid to my slow cooker. By the time the brisket is complete, you’ll find about 1 1/2 cup of liquid surrounding your meat. It’s all from the fat! It keeps the brisket nice and juice. Not to mention tender!
Rub-A-Dub
Feel free to use your favorite meat rub to make things easier. I used a delicious Applewood Chipotle rub and added about 1 TBS of salt to it as the rub isn’t salty enough for my taste in brisket. However, I do have an incredibly easy and flavorful homemade rub recipe. Very quick to mix up and it’s comprised of spices you probably already have in your spice rack. I’ll include it in the recipe below.
Even Cooking
When slow cooking any cut of beef, you would benefit from allowing it to come to room temperature before cooking. This will result in even cooking. You never want one or two areas of the meat to cook faster than the rest. After applying the rub, I allow the brisket to rest for about 30 minutes before placing it into the slow cooker.
Speaking of placing the brisket in the cooker, make sure you do it fat side up! This will cause all of those juices fat to seep down into the meat while slow cooking. Cool, right?
When your brisket is done, you can place it onto a baking sheet and broil it on center rack for about 5 minutes. This will char it a bit and give you those wonderful burnt ends we enjoy when brisket is barbecued. Or you can just enjoy this tender and juicy brisket as is! Totally up to you.
Another VERY IMPORTANT step is to rest the brisket before slicing! When you are done cooking, wrap the brisket in foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour before slicing. This will allow the juices to settle. I know it’s torture to wait. Especially after smelling the goodness! But, trust me, it’ll be worth it.
This Brisket recipe is pretty much foolproof! The spice rub adds just the right amount of flavor. The slow cooker does all of the work. Let it cook while you sleep or work and forget about it!
Prep Time1hour
Cook Time12hours
Resting Time45minutes
Total Time13hours45minutes
Servings6people
Ingredients
3-4lbbrisket
cooking spray
Brisket Spice Rub
1/2cupbrown sugar
1-2TBSkosher saltper taste
3TBSsmoked paprika
2TBSonion powder
2TBSgarlic powder
1TBSAncho chili powder
2tspcracked black pepper
1tspcayenne pepper
1tsporegano
Instructions
Mix all of the Brisket Spice Rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Trim the fat side of the brisket until 1/4 inch of fat remains
Evenly sprinkle the spice rub on all sides of the brisket; gently pat the rub into the meat
Allow the brisket to rest at room temperature for 30-45 mins
Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray
Place the brisket into the slow cooker (Make sure that the fat side of the brisket is facing upward)
Set the cooker on LOW and cook for 10-12 hours
Place the brisket on a baking sheet and broil in the oven on the center rack for 3-5 minutes or until the meat is as charred as desired.
Remove the brisket from the oven and wrap it in foil
Rest for 45 minutes to an hour before slicing against the grain to serve
My Cookies know that the most important element of any and every recipe to me is flavor. And I wholeheartedly believe in building flavors. You never want to rely on one aspect of a dish for flavor. It’s best to add and build it with each component. This is especially true when slow cooking. It provides the perfect scenario to layer on the taste! And my Cajun style smothered potatoes does not slack in taste.
Potatoe, Po-tah-toe?
I love russet potatoes in this recipe. However, any will do. Skin on or off? Totally up to you. Use the sausage of your choice as well. You always have the option of browning the sausage before adding them into the crockpot. I opted not to. I just add them in first, and add the other ingredients on top. Doing so will allow all of the grease and flavor from the sausage to meld with the broth and liquid shrimp and crab boil concentrate. And when you mix it all together in the end….whoa! Yeah. Flavors unite!
Cajun or Creole Seasoning? Doesn’t matter.
I keep the seasoning super simple. The Cajun or Creole seasoning and the shrimp and crab boil does all of the work! Just make sure you evenly distribute the seasonings while sprinkling them on top. Also, we don’t need much liquid at all. I add a splash just to keep the potatoes from sticking. It helps move the cooking process along as well.
Save the Best for Last
Allow the shrimp to chill in the fridge until the potatoes are fully cooked. You don’t want to overcook the shrimp. I give them a good 10-20 minutes to cook in the slow cooker. This is just the right amount of time for the shrimp to cook completely and soak up all of those spices. No need to season the shrimp. There’s plenty of seasoning in the crockpot to cover them.
This is basically a complete meal on its own. I add a green salad and call it dinner! Garnish with some chopped, green onions for freshness and it’s time to eat!
My proudest days come by way of reading emails of recipe praises from you guys. It truly makes it all worth it. One of the recipes prompting those emails is my Chili recipe. It’s a popular one. The spices blend seamlessly. And it’s a pretty easy dish to prepare you kind of just dump everything into the pot. I wanted to add a Crockpot version for good measure.
Ground or Roast?
Traditionally, a chuck roast was used in Chili. We converted it over to ground meat for ease over the years. Since, my other recipe uses ground beef, I thought it would be cool to show you how to prepare it with a roast. Which is better? Both. I cut the roast against the grain into 1 1/2 inch chunks. The most important part is searing the beef. The foundation of a great Chili is the build up of flavors. This begins with the searing of the roast. Be careful not to crowd the pan. This will just boil the meat instead of searing it. Do a small amount in batches until all of the pieces have been browned.
Spice it Up!
Chili is all about the flavor! The spices have to be just right! Again, we’re building. I always start with the chili powder, because, well…we’re making chili for goodness sake! I use ancho. You should as well. It’s just better. And little bit more pricey. Just a tad. Sorry. But, you’ll thank me later.
Slow and Steady
Whether you make the chili in a Crockpot or over the stove, you must do it slowly. Chili isn’t a dish you want to rush. AGAIN we’re building flavors. I know you’re tired of me saying that. But, it really takes time. The longer you simmer, the better. And this roast won’t be fork tender. It will be spoon tender!
Fully Loaded
Load up your bowl of chili with all of the fixings or none. Totally up to you. Just know that avocados are insanely delicious in chili. Just trust me and try it! I love lots of sharp cheddar, sour cream, green onions, and avocados. Yep. Fully load that thang! But, serve it however you’d like.
215 oz cans of chili beans or red kidney beans (drained)
2TBSWorcestershire sauce
1/3cupancho chili powder
2TBSlight brown sugar
2TBSonion powder
1TBSgarlic powder
1TItalian seasoning
1tspcumin
1tspallspice
1cupbeef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the ancho chili powder, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cumin, and allspice together to make the Chili Seasoning. Set aside.
Season the roast pieces with 1 TBS of salt, 2 tsp black pepper, and 1 TBS of the Chili Seasoning.
Heat the vegetable in a pan.
Sear the roast pieces until all sides are brown. Do this in batches until all pieces have been seared. Do not crowd the pan.
Remove the roast.
In the same pan, add in the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños.
Sauté until the veggies take on some color and the fond (brown bits at the bottom of the pan) have lifted and combined with the veggies.
Spray the Crockpot (slow cooker) with nonstick cooking spray.
Add in the roast with the juices it’s rendered.
Pour in the sautéed veggies, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and the rest of the Chili Seasoning.
Stir well.
Cover with the lid and slow cook on HIGH for 6-7 hours or on LOW for 10-12 hours.
Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Serve with toppings of your choice.
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Make sure that the chuck roast is at room temperature prior to searing. Remove it from the refrigerator 30 mins to an hour before preparing.
I’m not knocking anyone’s hustle. However, the price of a prepared honey, baked ham from a restaurant is expensive! Especially considering how easy it is to prepare your own. I know, I pay for convenience a lot, too. But, come on! This ham is way too simple not to do it yourself and save at least 30 clams!
First pro, the thing is already FULLY cooked! You’re basically just heating it up to serve. Make sure you purchase a spiral ham. It’s cooked and most of the time it’s already sliced! A win is a win.
I like to bake the ham for 10 minutes per pound. I start by warming the ham on 300 F for the bulk of the total baking time. Then, I add the glaze and continue baking for the last 30 minutes on 425F. This will render the perfect ham every time!
Glazed Like a Donut
The ham comes with a glaze packet. Yeah, throw it away. My homemade glaze is very simple with minimal ingredients. But, the flavor is incredible! I initially pour the glaze on the ham while the glaze is still hot and thin. This will help the flavor of the glaze penetrate the meat better. The glaze will thicken as it stands. So, I like to reserve a little of it to brush on the ham after it’s done baking right before serving.
Delicious and incredibly easy to prepare honey baked ham recipe that is comparable to expensive restaurants.
Ingredients
8-11lbsspiralfully cooked ham
4tbsunsalted butter
1 1/2cupbrown sugarpacked
1/2tspallspice
1/2tspgarlic powder
1/4cuppineapple juice
1/4cupCoca Cola
1/2cuphoney
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300°F
Place ham in an aluminum foil lined roasting pan or a disposable roasting pan
Cover the ham with foil
Bake for 1 hour*
In a sauce pan, melt the butter
Stir in all remaining ingredients
Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes (Glaze will thicken as it stands)
Remove the ham from the oven and discard the foil covering.
Increase the oven temp to 425°F
Pour and brush the glaze all over the ham evenly reserving 1/2 cup of the glaze for later.
Place the ham back into the oven for 15 mins, uncovered.
Remove the ham from the oven
Pour or brush the remaining glaze over the ham
Place the ham back into the oven for 15 additional mins. uncovered.
Allow ham to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Heat the ham for 10 minutes per pound minus 30 mins. Example: if ham is 9 lbs, the total baking time will be 1 hour and 30 mins. Heat the ham for 1 hour before adding the first layer of glaze. Reserve the last 30 minutes for baking with the glaze applied.
I’m embarrassed to admit that before making this recipe, I’d only tried eggnog once. It was store bought. I hated it. So, when it was requested many, many times that I share a recipe I was nervous. I didn’t think I could produce a great recipe for something I hated. Then, I made it homemade. Game changer! This stuff is liquid gold! It’s so dang silky and creamy! And if you add booze, it’ll sneak up on you! It’s so decadent that you forget it contains liquor. Until you stand up. Ha!
I Ain’t Tempering Eggs!
And I meant that! I feel like tempering eggs are allowing the eggs to control. I know. I’m a psycho. But, you can keep the whole tempering mess by whisking and whisking well! I find that the eggnog is a lot smoother when you beat the heck out of the eggs and sugar mixture. Then, add in the milk and cream and beat it well again. You won’t need to use a strainer to remove the clumps. But, make sure to whisk well while heating. Nothing worst than scrambled eggnog! Yuck!
All the Spice!
I don’t care for nutmeg. There. I said it. It just isn’t one of my favorite spices. I HIGHLY recommend that you try allspice in this recipe instead. It tastes like a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves all in one! It is absolutely divine in my eggnog! You do not need to use much as it can be overpowering. Oh! Don’t forget the salt. Sweets need a little pinch of salt. If you’ve ever thought to yourself that “something is missing” when you taste a dessert, it’s the salt. You need a little.
Reaching Peaks
I only use egg yolks in the beginning of the recipe. But, don’t discard the whites. I like to whip them up and fold it into the eggnog. That will gives us some Bill Gates richness to our eggnog! Before chilling, the eggnog will seem super thick and frothy. No worries. After chilling the consistency will be literally perfect! Nice and silky smooth!
To Booze or Not to Booze? BOOZE!
Adding alcohol is completely optional. If kids will be partaking, of course, you want to keep it G. But, if this is an adult shindig, get to pouring the brown stuff. Hennessy is my go to for eggnog. It just feels, and tastes, right! You know? Rum, brandy, bourbon…whatever you prefer will be great as well. Top to off with a sprinkling of cinnamon or nutmeg and enjoy that warm and fuzzy feeling!
