loaded baked potato soup for crockpot.

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
2 T all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
3 lb russet potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( 2 cups), plus extra for serving
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
3 scallions, sliced thin

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate until serving. Pour off all but 2 T bacon fat. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to ksilled and cook over medium high heat until onion is softened and lightly browned - 8-10 minutes.  Stir in flour and cok 1 minute.  Slowly whick in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.  Stir remaining 3 cups broth and potatoes into slow cooker.  Cover and cook 6 hours on low. Transfer 2 cups of the potatoes to a bowl and mash smooth.  Stir cheddar into soup until melted, then stir in the cream and mashed potatoes. Reheat bacon in microwave.  Season sop to taste and serve with scallions, bacon and additional cheese.

shredded bbq chicken

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1.5 cups bbq sauce

Mix chili powder, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper together, then rub mixture evenly over the chicken and transfer to slow cooker. Pour 1/2 cup bbq sauce over chicken and toss to coat.  Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

Transfer chicken to bowl and shred into bite-size pieces and cover to keep warm.

Microwave remaining cup of bbq sauce unti hot.  Toss shredded chicken with hot bbq sauce and 1 cup of the braising liquid; add more liquid as needed to keep meat moist.  Serve.

Italian Sunday Gravy

2 onions, minced
1 6-oz can tomato paste
12 garlic cloves, minced
2 T vegetable oil
2 T minced fresh oregano or 2 t dried
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 28-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
1.5 lb bone in country style pork ribs, trimmed
1.5 lb flank steak salt and pepper
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 T minced fresh basil

Microwave onions, tomato paste, garlic,oil, and oregano in bowl for 5 minutes and transfer to the slow cooker. Stir tomatoes, tomato sauce, and wine into slow cooker. Season pork and flank steak with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker along with sausages. Cover and cook until meat is tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high. Transfer pork, steak, and sausages to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred the pork and flank steak into bite size pieces; slice sausages in half crosswise. Stir shredded meat and sausages into sauce. Before serving, stir in basil and season to taste.

honey mustard drumsticks.

2 T brown sugar
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper
4 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks, trimmed
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey

Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper together, then rub mixture evently over chicken and transfer to slow cooker.  Mix Dijon and honey in a bowl.  Pour 1/2 cup of the mixture over the chicken and toss to coat; reserve remaining mixture separately.  Cover and cook 4-6 hours on low.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place wire rack in aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and coat with vegetable oil spray.  Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet; discard braising liquid.  Brush chicken with half of reserved Dijon mixture and broil until lightly charred and crisp, 10-15 minutes.  Flip chicken over, brush with remaining Dijon mixture, and continue to broil until lightly charred and crisp on second side, 10-15 minutes longer.

shredded chicken filling.

1 onion, minced
3 T chili powder
2 T vegetable oil
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t ground coriander
2 t ground cumin
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1.5 t sugar
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
salt and pepper
1 T fresh lime juice

Microve the onion, chili powder, oil, jalapeno, garlic, coriander and cumin in bowl for 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.  Stir tomato sauce and sugar into slow cooker.  Season chicken with salt pepper, add to slow cooker, and coat evenly with sauce mixture.  Cover and cook 4-6 hours on low.  Transfer chicken to large bowl, let cool slightly, then shred into bite size pieces and cover to keep warm.  Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface.  Toss shredded chicken with 1 cup braising liquid, add more as needed to keep meat moist and flavorful.  Stir in lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

pork pot roast.

2 T vegetable oil
2 onions, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 T minced fresh thyme or 1 t dried
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 lb carrots (about 6), peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 lb parnips,peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 (2.5-3 lb) boneless pork picnic shoulder roasts, trimmed and tied
salt and pepper
2 t white wine vinegar

Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme and cook 8-10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out lumps; transfer to slow cooker. Stir tomatoes, carrots, and parsnips into slow cooker. Season roasts with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook 9-10 hours on low or 5-7 on high. Transfer roasts to cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes. Stir vinegar into braising liquid and season to taste. Remove twine from roasts, slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon 1 cup sauce over the meat and serve with remaining sauce.

crockpot chili

2 lb ground meat
salt and pepper
3 T canola oil
2 onions, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 T soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
2 t minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Season meat with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in 12 inch skilled over medium high heat.  Add onions, chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook 8-10 minutes.  Stir in meat and cook, breaking up large pieces, until no longer pink.  Stir in 1 cup tomato puree, scraping up any browned bits, and transfer to slow cooker.  Stir in remaining puree, diced tomatoes with juice, beans, soy sauce, sugar, chipotles into slow cooker.  Cover and cook 6-8 hours on low or 3-5 hours on high.