Beef Fajitas

1½	lbs.	beef flank steak
1	lg.	onion, chopped (1 cup)
1	med.	green sweet pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
1		or 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
1	tbsp.	snipped fresh cilantro
1	tsp.	chili powder
1	tsp.	ground cumin
1	tsp.	ground coriander
1	tsp.	bottled minced garlic
¼	tsp.	salt
1	can	stewed tomatoes (8 oz.)
12		flour tortillas (7-onch.)
2	tsp.	lime juice (up to 3 tsp.) (optional)
		Shredded colby and Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
		Guacamole (optional)
		Sour Cream (optional)
		Salsa (optional)

• Trim fat from steak. Cut steak into 6 portions. Combine steak, onion, green sweet pepper, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic, and salt in crock pot. Add undrained tomatoes.

   

• Cover; cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. (Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.)

   

• Set oven to 350°. To heat tortillas, wrap them in foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until softened. remove steak from cooker and shred. return steak to cooker. stir in lime juice, if desired.

   

• To serve, use a slotted spoon to spoon steak mixture onto warm tortillas. Top with cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, if desired. Roll up tortillas.

Ingredients

1 cup  all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 cups hot water

Directions

1. Spray inside of 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, the baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread batter evenly in slow cooker.

2. Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl. Stir in hot water until smooth. Pour evenly over batter in slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Turn off slow cooker. Let cake stand uncovered 30 to 40 minutes to cool slightly before serving. Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. Spoon sauce over top.

Makes 6 servings

Cattleman's Beef and Beans

1	lb.	dried pinto beans
6	c.	water
3	lbs.	beef brisket or round roast
1	lg.	onion, chopped
½	c.	dark molasses
2	tsp.	salt
½	tsp.	ground ginger
½	tsp.	dry mustard
¼	tsp.	pepper
1		bay leaf

1. Rinse beans under running water, place in a large kettle with water; bring to boiling; cover kettle; lower heat; cook 15 minutes; let stand 1 hours.

    

2. Trim all excess fat from beef; brown meat on all sides in remaining fat in a large skillet.

    

3. Place meat in the bottom of the slow cooker; add beans and liquid, onion, molasses, salt, ginger, mustard, pepper and bay leaf. Add more water, if needed to cover meat and beans; cover.

    

4. Cook on high for 2 hours, stir beans, adding more liquid if needed to keep beans and meat covered.

    

5. Turn heat control to low and cook for 8 hours, or until beans are very tender and liquid is absorbed. Taste and season with a spoonful of hot prepared mustard, if you wish.

    

6. Remove meat to a carving board and cut into slices; spoon beans around beef on platter.

    

4-8 ears fresh yellow or white corn in their husks
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
Butter for serving

Carefully pull back the husk, but leave it attached at the stem end. Remove the silk from each ear and rinse under cold running water. Rewrap the corn in the husk and tie the top with kitchen twine or a strip of husk. Trim the stem flat so the ears can stand upright in the slow cooker (do not stack horizontally).

Arrange the ears with the stem ends down, packed together so they are standing up in the cooker; add 1/2 cup water for a medium cooker, 3/4 cup for a large one. Cover and cook on high until the corn is very tender (pull back the husk and pierce with the tip of a knife to check), 1-2 hours, depending on the age of the corn.

Remove the corn from the cooker with tongs, peel back the husk, and slather with butter. Eat immediately.

Crusty Crockpot Cleaning Tips

2 pounds Pork

3 tablespoons Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

6 Carrots

4 Potatoes

2 Onions

1 Apple

2 cups Apple cider

1 tablespoon Vinegar

1/2 cup Cold water

1/4 cup Flour

.

Cube boneless pork, slice onion and carrot, quarter potato, chop

apple. Combine 3 tbls flour, salt, thyme and pepper, toss with meat.

Put carrots, potatoes, onion and apple in cooker. Top with meat cubes.

Combine apple cider and vinegar, pour over meat. Cover, cook on low

for 10-12 hours. Turn cooker to high. Blend 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup

cold water, blend well. Stir into liquid in crockpot. Cover, cook 15

minutes or until thickened. Season to taste.

From Better Homes & Gardens: Crockery Cooking

Servings: 8

Green Chile Grits

2 cups regular grits
6 cups water
1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
4-6 ounces chopped mild green chile
1 or more jalapeno chiles -- seeded, chopped fine
1 dash cayenne

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on LOW
for 6 to 9 hours or on HIGH 2 to 3 hours, stirring
occasionally. If cooking on high, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more
water if too thick.

Similar to polenta, you serve right away or you can
refrigerate the mixture in a buttered loaf pan for a few
hours or overnight, unmold, slice (1/2-inch) and fry in
butter until browned.

This recipe yields about 8 servings.