Bean Barley Crock Pot Burritos

crock pot before cooking:

crock pot after 5 hours:

Healthy, easy make ahead dinner in the crock pot! What could be better than that! :-)

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 10oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (mild...i used rotel)

3/4 cup frozen corn

1 cup dried barley

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 garlic cloved, minced

1/4 of a large red onion, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

tortillas

cheddar cheese

avocado

grape tomatoes

sour cream

Combine beans, canned tomatoes, barley, broth, corn, spices, garlic, and red onion in crock pot and mix well. Put crock pot on low and cook for 4-5 hours until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cilantro.

Make burritos with a spoonful of bean barley mixture from the crock pot in the middle of a tortilla then top with toppings, roll up and enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken with Sage and Stuffing

My sister (who isn't much of a cook... no offense Case!) made this recipe she found on the Whole Foods iPhone App and said it was O.K. I immediately downloaded the app because it sounded like something I would love and instantly I found a handful of recipes that sounded delicious (including this recipe). I bought all the ingredients and made it the other day... it was absolutely delicious! The chicken fell right off the bone... it was so tender and juicy. Great make ahead meal and perfect for fall!!! I doubled the recipe because I made half for a friend who just had a baby so you could definitely cut this in half if you don't want this much... but is is great as leftover too! I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (I'll post that recipe too!) to round out the meal... wonderful! Here is my adapted recipe below:

2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

5 carrots, chopped into pieces

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

2 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoon chopped sage

10 bone-in, skinned chicken thighs

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 (10-ounce) package stuffing mix with cranberries, prepared according to package directions (from Whole Foods)

Arrange onions in the bottom of a lightly greased 6-quart crock pot or slow cooker and top with carrots. Pour broth and wine over vegetables, then sprinkle garlic and sage over the top. Season chicken with paprika, salt and pepper and arrange on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on the low heat setting until chicken and vegetable are very tender, about 8 hours. Serve alongside stuffing.

Beef Stir Fry

I prepped this dinner through the day as I had time.... cut the veggies, sliced and marinated the steak, made the rice... and when my husband came in the door I threw it all together and we enjoyed a hot meal in 10 minutes! It was delicious.... I love the Soy Vay Teriyaki Marinade with steak, definitely one of my favorite things!!!

1 Skirt Steak, sliced diagonally across grain into thin strips

Very Very Teriyaki Marinade (Soy Vay Brand)

1 red pepper, sliced into strips

1 green pepper, sliced into strips

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 baby bok choy, thinly sliced

2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy sauce alternative)

sesame seeds, for garnish

Put meat in large plastic bag or glass bowl and cover with marinade. Toss to coat and put in fridge to marinate for a couple of hours. Heat large nonstick skillet and add meat. Cook 4 minutes. Add peppers and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add bok choy and cook one minute or until it wilts. Add Bragg Liquid Aminos and stir together. Serve over cooked rice and top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Bolognese Sauce

Tonight I made this meat sauce with pasta... easy Sunday night meal...

2 carrots, diced finely

1 small onion, diced finely

4 strips of bacon, diced

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 cup white wine

1 (28-oz) can tomato sauce

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bag leaf

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

cooked pasta

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add onion and carrot, cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Raise heat to medium high and add meat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook another couple minutes. Add wine, reduce sauce by three-fourths. Add 1 cup milk and reduce by half. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, thyme, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Stir in 1/4 cup milk. Serve over cooked pasta and top with cheese.

Note: can use any type or combination of meat equally 2 pounds.