Easy Crockpot Dessert Recipes

Most people are acquainted with crockpots for fixing dinner, but have you ever considered using your slow cooker to create delicious desserts? Yes, you read it correctly, crockpot dessert recipes. They're just as easy as making a nice pot of chicken soup, only sweeter!

Slow cookers are just the ticket for folks who want a great dessert but who are lacking in either the time or patience to see it through the old fashioned way.

There are a few tips to keep in mind when baking with a slow cooker. Use the baking insert that may have come with your cooker. If yours didn't come with one you can either purchase an insert or use a 2 pound coffee can or a metal mold of the right size.

Make sure to grease the insert or can and to raise the insert or can with either a baking rack made for crock pots or by crumbling up a piece of foil and putting it on the bottom of the pot so the insert is raised, allowing air to flow.

The following are a couple of wonderful and easy crockpot dessert recipes to try out:

1-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1-1/2 cups well mashed, over ripe bananas (2 or 3 bananas)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the shortening in a small bowl, until creamy. Gradually add sugar. Slowly beat in eggs. Use a fork to mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1/2 the bananas another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining bananas, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Add the walnuts and put into a greased and floured baking insert or a 2 1/2-quart mold and cover. Place on a rack in the crockpot. Cover and prop open the lid just a bit with a wooden spoon so that steam may escape. Cook on high setting for 4 - 6 hours.

Easy Bread Pudding
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups 1-inch bread cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine eggs with milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, bread, sugar, and raisins. Pour into 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Put aluminum foil shaped into a ring to keep the dish off the bottom of the pot in bottom of slow cooker. Add 1/2 cup hot water and place baking dish on top of foil. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sherry_Frewerd/4774

Rival Slow Cooker: Here's Why They Are The Best

It's a recognized fact that the Rival slow cooker has become a standard by which all other crock pots are measured. It had been Rival that fundamentally created the industry, and yes, it had been they who trademarked the term: crock pot. For those who have never used one of these nifty gadgets, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. A Rival slow cooker ought to be a required accessory to every home. As a cooking tool, it is one of the most effective and least expensive on the market. If you're considering buying a new crock pot, any Rival model will become a valuable time conserving device for your family.
To help with your purchasing decision, I've listed the 4 essential tips that everyone needs to know.

Rival Slow Cooker Tip #1: The Background
The Rival Company was an American manufacturer of home appliances that created goods under the Bionaire, Crock-Pot, Fasco, Patton, Pollenex, Rival, Simer, and White Mountain brands. They have become a brand of Sunbeam Products, and are the undeniable industry leader within the crock pot market.

Tip #2: How It Works
Employing a Rival is as easy as placing the food in the pot and then leave it on it's own. Many hours later you'll have just about the most scrumptious dinners you have ever eaten. To select the right crock pot you might want a concept of exactly what characteristics you'll need in your slow cooker. Some people will get by with a manual design, while some want the versatility of a programmable model. Each kind is outlined below.

Tip #3: Manual Model
A manual crock pot offers essentially one fundamental heat control. Due to its low price, they're the most typical version. The manual crock pot includes a simple knob selector that says "low", "Medium", and "High". Whenever using a manual rival slow cooker, you should definitely keep an eye on the time. It's going to be up to you to turn it off.

Tip #4: Programmable Model
As you might expect, a programmable Rival slow cooker offers a tad bit more flexibility. There is a push button interface that lets you choose the amount of time and the cooking temperature. Arguably the largest benefit of a programmable Rival is the sophisticated timer. The slow cooker can be made to automatically enter into a "warming" state so your dinner remains hot until you are ready to consume your food.

Conclusion:
After getting your own unit, your only issue will be which portion of the dinner do you want to cook in it. Everything tastes much better when it is prepared perfectly and available for you, when you're prepared to eat! The Rival slow cooker can turn into the most effective kitchen investment you ever made!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dicky_Betz/692354

Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients:
8-ounces Angel hair pasta, uncooked
1-cup Cherry tomatoes cut in half
1½-teaspoons Lemon pepper
1-tablespoon Olive oil
1-pound Chicken breasts, boneless & skinless cut into small pieces
1-medium Onion, sliced
2-cups Broccoli, chopped
½-cup Sugar snap peas
1-cup Chicken broth
2-teaspoons Lemon peel, grated
4-teaspoons Cornstarch

Instructions:
Cook and drain pasta according to directions on package of pasta. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and onion; stir fry for about 6 minutes or until chicken is brown and no longer pink. Add broccoli and peas to chicken mixture. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are slightly crisp. Combine broth, lemon peel, cornstarch and lemon pepper in a small bowl; stir into chicken mixture. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated. Stir in tomatoes and heat thoroughly. Serve warm over angel hair pasta.

Serves 4
Note: You can use any pasta to your desire. This is a really healthy dish to make it even more healthy use whole wheat pasta.

You can find this recipe plus much more at Cristie's Cookin. Submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a free "Gotcha Covered" apron. Check out Cristie's spices, Bling It, Ring It and Zing It. Like to read great novels then you will want to get her new novel "11.11.11" by TJ Stokes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cristie_Will/49762

Chicken & Black Bean Soft Tacos

CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN SOFT TACOS
Ingredients:
1-package (10 small) Flour tortillas
1-packet Taco seasoning mix
2-cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
2-tablespoons Oil
1-pound Chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, sliced
1-medium Onion, chopped
15-ounce can Black beans, drained
1-cup Whole kernel corn, drained
½-cup Black olives, sliced
½-cup Water
2-tablespoons Lime juice, fresh
1-tablespoon Lemon juice, fresh
2-cups Salsa
Instructions:

Slice chicken into 2-inch strips and set aside. Heat oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat; add chicken strips and chopped onion; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in taco seasoning mix, beans, corn, black olives, water, lemon juice and lime juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened.

Take tortillas out of plastic bag and microwave on high, 100% power for 15 seconds or until warm. Or heat each tortilla one at a time in a small to a medium skillet over medium-high heat until warm.
Fill each tortilla with ½-cup chicken mixture, 1-tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Serve warm.

Makes 10 tacos
You can find these and many more recipes at Cristie's Cookin. While you are visiting don't forget to submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a free "Gotcha Covered" apron. Check out Cristie's unique specialty spices and if you love high suspense novels then you will want to check out Cristie's "11.11.11" by TJ stokes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cristie_Will/49762

How to Make the Perfect Chicken Fajita Recipe

Mexican dishes are truly interesting because of their extraordinary taste and texture. Moreover, these recipes are perfect as finger food in parties; your guests will enjoy the superb flavour and aroma of these foods. The recipes use several seasonings combined in such a way that produce a truly delightful taste. Whether it is a meat wrap or a vegetable salad, any recipe will turn out great if you follow the procedure carefully.

Fajita is one of the many fabulous Mexican recipes. This dish commonly uses beef, mixed with a bunch of vegetables such as bell peppers, onion, tomatoes and beans. To give the fajita its signature spicy taste, this recipe includes the right combination of spices and herbs. The taste will certainly linger in your mouth, because of the delightful aroma.

If you are trying to stay trim, you might want to consider an alternative to beef. You can use chicken, as this type of meat is low in fat and rich in protein. Simply remove the skin for a truly fat-free and healthy main ingredient for the fajita. Here are some tips on how you can make a nutritious and delicious chicken fajita recipe.

1. Choose the meaty portion of chicken and remove the skin.
The thigh or breast part of the chicken is perfect to use in this recipe. Purchase the filleted ones and remove the skin. You can still make the dish very tasty even if it is low in fat, instead of using beef. Simply make sure that you marinate the chicken well to let it absorb the flavour of the seasonings.

2. That the chicken before marinating it.
If you purchased the chicken several days prior cooking, make sure that you thaw it first. By doing so, the chicken will absorb the seasonings well. Moreover, you will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan if you cook it when it is not icy cold.

3. Marinate the chicken for several hours.
The secret to a tasty meat is the marinade. Hence, you should blend each seasoning and spice well to make the taste even. Afterwards, marinate the chicken for several hours or even overnight. Keep the meat in a tightly closed container and place it in the refrigerator. This will maintain the freshness of the chicken as you marinate it overnight.

4. Warm the oil in the skillet before cooking all the ingredients.
Make sure that you warm the skillet and the oil well prior placing the ingredients for stir-frying. You will know that the pan is ready for cooking when you see a thin smoke coming from the pan. However, it should not be too hot that it is already burning; you might just end up burning the ingredients, as well. Continuously stir the food items to blend the flavour thoroughly.

There you have it, some simple tips on how you can make the best tasting chicken fajita. Just follow these suggestions, and you will come up with a great dish that you and your family will love. Serve this authentic Mexican recipe with your choice of fresh fruits and ice-cold drink; this will definitely make a filling and highly nutritious snack for parties or everyday meal.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Angelica_Florin/1162515

Grilled Chicken Recipes - My Newest Recipe - Lemon Ginger Chicken

Now here is an interesting post today. I am going to talk about grilled chicken recipes but you will never (in a million years) figure out where I got this recipe. My wife and I were on a road trip the other day. Road trips, now there is a place for inspiration. My wife and I were traveling through Vegas, you know, the one out there in Nevada, the one they call, 'sin city,' and I was a little thirsty and was out of coffee there for a bit. Now anyone who knows me, knows that this is a situation that needs to be remedied pretty quickly.

So I asked my wife for a sip of her tea. Whoa, what a combination of flavors! I asked her what kind of tea that was and she said, lemon ginger. Well, I like that. I think I will have one I told her. Yeah, right, she said that was her last teabag of that flavor. Well, you know me, and as I was driving along the interstate there I Started to think that if it was a good flavor for tea, then it ought to be a good flavor combination for some grilled chicken recipes. The first recipe I will call lemon ginger chicken. And so for the next - I do not know how many miles - I conjured up this recipe in my head. I mean it is not all that hard for I have had a lot of practice....that is conjuring up recipes while driving.

So here is my latest in a long, long string of grilled chicken recipes. And maybe this will also answer that question of where the heck does he get these recipes for grilled chicken from. Here it is:

Ingredients
four tablespoons lemon zest
two-thirds cup lemon juice
four teaspoons ginger, peeled and minced
four teaspoons light brown sugar, firmly packed
one teaspoon minced garlic
one tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
one and a half pounds chicken tenders
Directions

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger, brown sugar, oil, salt, in a zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the chicken, squeeze out the air, and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Throw it in the fridge, turning every so often for up to about 45 min.

Then I take the tenders and thread them onto skewers which I have been soaking in water for about an hour. Now you can take those chicken tenders and place them on a hot grill, BBQ which you have oiled so that the chicken does not stick. Just a few minutes of each side and they are done. It really does not take very long and you have really, really good chicken. Hey, you could even serve it with some lemon-ginger tea.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Cobb/296407

Awesome Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

I have always loved chicken fried steak. My family loves it, too. I hope you like it! It can be served as an appetizer, offered to guests from platters at a wedding, potluck, or special party. You really want to prepare that recipe for your family and/or friends. Go ahead!

Ingredients of chicken fried steak recipe:
4 cube steak cutlets
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 or 1/2 (approx.) flour
1/3 cup (approx.) cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions of chicken fried steak recipe:

1. In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Set aside.
2. In a little cup, shake all the spices together. Sprinkle on both sides of the cutlets.
3. Lay flour out on a large plate or cutting board. Drag the cutlets through the flour so that both sides are completely covered. Dip each cutlet into the egg/milk mixture and then drag once more through the flour. Set cutlets aside.
4. Add cooking oil to a large, heavy skillet-oil should be about 1/2 inch deep. Heat skillet to medium-high heat. When a drop of water sprinkled into skillet "pops", you're ready to cook.
5. With tongs or a long fork, carefully place each cutlet into the hot oil. Fry cutlets on both sides, turning once, until golden brown. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 4 or 5 minutes until cutlets are done through. Drain cutlets on paper towels.

Here is a tip for some gravy:

1. Save 2 Tablespoons of the oil when you are finished.
2. Add about 3 Tablespoons of flour and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
3. Heat over medium heat and gradually add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of water.
4. Add dashes of pepper to taste.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joch_Purn/126899