Italian Beef (Slow Cooker)

This recipe originally came from allrecipes.com. I have been using it for at least six years! It can be served on crusty rolls topped with Provolone cheese or over salad or in a tortilla or all by itself!

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tea salt
• 1 tea ground black pepper
• 1 tea dried oregano
• 1 tea dried basil
• 1 tea onion powder
• 1 tea dried parsley
• 1 tea garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (.7 oz) package dry Italian-style dressing mix
• 1 (5 lb) chuck roast

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine broth, water, seasonings, and dressing mix. Whisk to combine.
2. Place roast in slow cooker and pour dressing mixture over meat.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours (or until done).
4. When done, remove bay leaf and shred with a fork.

Slow Cooker Chicken Gyros and Tzatziki

This recipe comes from christinascaboodle.blogspot.com. It turned out super yummy, just don't overcook your chicken in the slow cooker or it will get dry! Don't skip the Tzatziki either! Trust me! Serve with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and Feta cheese. The 21 Day Fix containers used are: 1 yellow (maybe 2 with this giant pita!), 1 green, 1 red, and 1 blue.

Ingredients for Chicken:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 tea salt
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 tea dried oregano

Ingredients for Tzatziki

• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup English or Persian cucumber, peeled (if desired) and diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tea dried dill
• Salt, to taste

Directions for Chicken:

1. In a Ziploc bag, combine garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, vinegar, and oregano.
2. Add chicken to bag and let marinate for at least a half hour.
3. Spray inside of crockpot with non-stick spray (or use a liner).
4. Dump chicken and marinade in slow cooker and let it cook on high 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours.

Directions for Tzatziki

1. Combine tzatziki ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Chill for about one hour before using. 

Chicken and Dumplings (Slow Cooker)

The original recipe came from Budget Bytes. I had never even had chicken and dumplings and then one day I randomly decided to try it and found this recipe and became a fan. I love how the dumplings soak up some of the soup. It's delish. Also, I have made these dumpling dough with whole wheat flour and it has worked great. 

Ingredients
For the soup:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 3-4 carrots, sliced
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

For the dumplings:

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ tablespoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• ¾ teaspoon sugar
• 2/3 cup milk or almond milk

Directions

1. Add all of the soup ingredients - except salt - to a slow cooker. 
2. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
3. Shred the chicken and turn the slow cooker to high if it isn't already.
4. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
5. Keep the slow cooker lid on as much as possible to retain heat.
6. Mix flour, soda, parsley, and salt together.
7. Cut in butter in small chunks.
8. Add the milk until a soft paste-like mixture forms.
9. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and drop the dumpling batter into the soup by heaping spoonfuls.
10. Return the lid to the slow cooker and allow the dumplings to steam for 20 minutes.
11. Serve hot soup with dumplings on top.

Pulled Pork (Slow Cooker)

This recipe comes from 100 Days of Real Food and was a nice surprise. It was yummy and flavorful without being soaked in BBQ sauce or the like. I like that because then I have more diversity for the leftovers. I can make pork BBQ sandwiches, but that's not my only option. Also, it's easy to freeze shredded pork for later use. I used a bone-in "picnic" pork shoulder so I didn't cut it in half like the original recipe suggests. I also didn't use any cayenne.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and cut in half
• 3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all of the spices with a fork.
2. Pour in the honey, vinegar, and oil and stir until well mixed.
3. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker.
4. Place pork on top of onion and then pour the honey mixture over all of the pork. It will drip to the bottom.
5. Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be shredded with a fork.