Summer Crockpot Recipes

Stop using that oven in this heat and grab one of my favorite cooking pieces...the crock pot!

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 2.5 hours
2 lbs precooked frozen meatballs
1 cup apricot or apple jelly
2 cups cocktail sauce or chili sauce

1. Pour the jelly and cocktail sauce into crockpot. Stir well.
2. Stir in the meatballs. Cover with lid and cook 2.5 hours on high.

Serve as meatball subs on hot dog buns or hoagie rolls for dinner or with toothpicks for a party appetizer.

Tangy Crockpot Ribs
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 lbs meaty pork spareribs, cut into 2-3 rib sections

1. Mix brown sugar and flour in medium saucepan. Add water, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, ginger and garlic powder. Cook and stir over medium heat until boiled and thickened.
2. Layer ribs in crockpot, spooning sauce over each layer. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours or on high 5-6 hours until ribs are very tender.

Crockpot Chocolate Fondue
18 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 oz milk chocolate, chopped
13 oz can evaporated milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pound cake pieces, cut up fruit, marshmallows, graham crackers, cookies (try nutter butters) for dipping

1. Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 45 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
2. Cook 15 minutes more if needed to melt all the chocolate. This can be held for another hour on low before serving.

Crockpot Chicken Taco Filling
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
18 oz jar salsa of your choice. Red or Green
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder

1. Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir. Cover and cook on low heat 8 hours.
2. Take chicken out and dice or shred. Stir back into crockpot to coat with sauce.

Use to make tacos, burritos, or tostadas. The only other things you need are shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and grated cheese!

If Chili Dogs are a hit with your family, check out this recipe here.

If Chicken and Noodles is something your family likes, check out this recipe here.

Check out the Dinner Recipe #3 of BBQ Chicken previously posted on my blog here. Sub in pork loin or pork butt for BBQ pulled pork sandwiches too!

Recipes found on about.com with some tweaking of my own :)