Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Store bought or homemade small meatballs (enough to fill a Crock-Pot)
Oil for browning meatballs
1 lb. grape jelly
1 jar chili sauce

1. Brown the meatballs in skillet with a little oil.
2. Mix jelly and chili sauce in a medium-sized saucepan until it boils.
3. Add the meatballs to the Crock-Pot and pour sauce over top. Cook on low for 2 to 6 hours.

Apricot Lemon Chicken

With a hint of both sweet and sour, this zesty, slow-cooker dish is a favorite with kids, especially when served with fluffy white rice and peas.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of boneless breast of chicken
1 lemon, quartered
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or a 1/2 teaspoon of regular salt)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon thyme (or 3-4 four sprigs fresh thyme, if available)

1. Pull chicken breasts apart and place them in the bottom of a 4 1/2 quart (or similar) slow cooker. Squeeze the quartered lemons over the chicken meat, and drop the squeezed lemon quarters in the pot. Pour orange juice over the chicken.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Cook on high for 4 hours.
3. Serves 6.

Saucy Apricot-Glazed Chicken

This is a slow-cooker rendition of the ever-popular chicken glazed with a mixture of apricot preserves, Russian dressing and dry onion soup mix that's usually baked in the oven. Serve over wild rice or white rice; or try basmati or jasmine rice, cooked on top of the stove.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup good-quality chunky apricot preserves
3/4 cup bottled Russian dressing
1 1.15-oz. envelope dry onion soup mix
12 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, trimmed of fat (about 3 1/2 to 4 lbs.)

1. In a medium bowl, mix together apricot preserves, dressing and dry onion soup mix until well blended. Arrange three of the chicken breast halves in the bottom of a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker. Spoon a fourth of the apricot mixture on top. Add three or more layers of chicken with the apricot mixture in between and on top. 2. Cover and cook on the High heat setting for 1 hour. Reduce the heat setting to Low and continue cooking, covered, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will toughen. Serve the sauce over the chicken. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Heavenly Ham Casserole

6 med potatoes, sliced thin
1 med. onion chopped
1 lb. ham, cubed
1 cup cheese, shredded (cheddar)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Paprika

Put 1/2 potatoes, then 1/2 onion, then 1/2 ham and cheese, repeat with rest of potatoes/onions/ham/cheese.
Spread soup over top so air doesn't get to potatoes if possible. Sprinkle with paprika.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.


I got this from www.familyfun.go.com

Beef & Sausage Stew

3 lbs. beef stew meat, trimmed of fat and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour, divided
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
1/2 package smoked sausage, sliced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup each chopped leek and chopped onion
4 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. water

Place 1/2 c. flour in a resealable food storage bag. Add beef, seal bag. Shake to coat beef cubes with flour evenly on all sides. Place in slow cooker. Add tomatoes with juice, sausage slices, diced potatoes, chopped leak, chopped onion, sliced celery, chicken broth and minced garlic: stir well.
Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 6 hours or on LOW 8 to 12 hours. (One hour before serving, turn slow cooker to HIGH if on LOW setting.)
Combine remaining 2 Tbsp. flour and water in small bowl; stir until mixture becomes paste. Stir flour mixture into slow cooker; mix well. Cover and cook until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with buttermilk biscuits and butter or over rice or even buttered noodles.

Serves 8
Prep time: 25 mins.
Cooking Time: 4 to 6 hours (Slow Cooker)