Forget Heating Up the Oven or Standing Over a Hot Stove, Get Out the Slow Cooker or Crockpot!

There is no need to give up hearty healthy meals just because you don't want to heat up the kitchen. You can have tasty and hearty meals without using the oven or standing over a hot stove. Get out your slow cooker or crockpot and make a delicious Vegetable Beef Soup. Sloppy Joes in the crockpot are a great way to serve a busy family. Does your family prefer chicken? Make them Cashew Chicken. The recipe call for serving it over hot pasta. If you don't want to make pasta, why not cook some minute brown rice?

SLOW COOKER VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
1 lb boneless round steak, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (14 1/2-oz)diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups water
3 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 medium onions, diced
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 cup cut-up cabbage
3 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

Combine all the above ingredients, except the frozen vegetables, in the crockpot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Add the frozen vegetables, cover and cook for an additional 2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

CROCKPOT SLOPPY JOES
3 lb lean ground beef
1 can (16-oz) tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 pkgs dry Sloppy Joe mix
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain off the excess fat. Put ground beef into the crockpot and add the remaining ingredients; stir to mix well. Cook on low setting 8 to 10 hours or on high setting for 5 to 6 hours.

Serve on hamburger buns with assorted condiments.

SLOW COOKER CASHEW CHICKEN
1 (3 to 4 lb)chicken, cut up and skin removed
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate, undiluted
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup chopped cashews
Hot cooked whole-grain pasta

Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine the onion, orange juice concentrate, rosemary, salt and cayenne pepper; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours until the chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken from slow cooker and keep warm.

In a saucepan combine the flour and water until smooth. Stir in the cooking juices and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until thickened. Stir in the cashews. Pour mixture over the chicken and serve with the hot pasta.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's slow cooker/crockpot recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com
For her diabetic recipes and information visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com

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