Slow Cooker Green Beans with Onions and Bacon

By: Amanda Jade

This recipe was actually a complete accident at my home one Thanksgiving.  I had placed green beans in the slow cooker and my mom added a bit of thin sliced onions and bacon.  We promptly forgot about them in the chaos that was Thanksgiving meal prep for a half dozen people.  We remembered them after the meal was complete and we had already eaten.  The green beans were melt in your mouth soft, the onions and bacon had nearly dissolved and they were tiny bites of heaven on a plate.

Slow Cooker Green Beans with Onions and Bacon

Ingredients:

Sea Salt and Pepper

2 lbs Green Beans, fresh and washed

Bacon, sliced

Vidalia Onion, thinly sliced

Olive Oil or Butter

Garlic, minced

 

1.  Line the bottom of a slow cooker with bacon, a single layer.  If you prefer crispier bacon, fry it first but add the oil to the slow cooker too.

2.  Add the onions, garlic and green beans, tossing together on top of the bacon.

3.  Add a pat or two of butter or a drizzle of olive oil, tossing the vegetables again.

4.  Season liberally with sea salt and pepper.

5.  Turn on low and forget about them for about 6 hours.

 

I have made these for every Thanksgiving celebration I’ve been invited to in the last 10 years.  I NEVER have leftovers, even when preparing up to five pounds of them.  I’ve made a few slight adjustments over the years, depending on who I make them for.  My husband likes to pick on me about the floppy bacon, so I began frying it before adding it to the slow cooker.  I still prefer it soft and melty though.  The garlic is optional, but it adds a whole new dimension of flavor.  Enjoy!

Sunday Dinner Pot Roast

The secret to a really tender pot roast is to cook it low and slow. If the roast is cooked through, but not tender, let it cook a little longer (but don’t let it dry out.) It This same recipe works well in the crockpot. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Low is best for tenderness. You can add carrots, parsnips, quartered onions, potatoes or other vegetables during the last hour, if desired. This meal was often served for Sunday dinner because it could be put in the oven before leaving for church and would be done when everyone arrived home.

Sunday Dinner Pot Roast

4 to 6 pound chuck roast
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 large can tomatoes
2 cups + water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
In a heavy dutch oven, saute onions in shortening until tender. Remove onions from pan and set aside. Salt, pepper, and flour roast and put in hot fat to brown slowly on all sides. When brown, add vinegar, mustard, tomatoes, onions and 2 cups water. Cover tightly and cook slowly at 275 degrees F for 2  hours or until very tender. Watch roast and add more water occasionally if needed to keep it from becoming dry. When done, remove roast to platter. Thicken gravy if desired with a little flour and water, stirred to a smooth paste. Serve pot roast with gravy.

Crock Pot Chicken Recipes

If you have a crock pot or slow cooker, you have an easy way to prepare dinner with little fuss. Most casseroles and many other dishes can be simmered slowly in the crock pot, ready to eat when you are.

Crock Pot Baked Chicken Breasts

4 – 6 chicken breast halves
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon tarragon or rosemary
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

1. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry; place in crockpot.

2. In a saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and heat until smooth and hot. Pour over chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 7 hours. Yields 4-6 servings.

 

Chicken Lickin Good (Crock Pot)

6 to 8 chicken pieces
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 can whole tomatoes
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

1. Rince chicken and pat dry.

2. In skillet, melt butter and brown chicken quickly on both sides.

3. Place chicken in crockpot. Stir together the remaining ingredients except cream and pour over the chicken.

4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

5. Just before serving stir in the cream.

6. Serve over hot spaghetti or pasta. Serves 6 to 8.

 

Stuffed Roasted Chicken in the Crock Pot

3 to 4 pound whole chicken
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
4 cups seasoned stuffing mix
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teapoon sage
Dash freshly ground pepper
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon butter
paprika
dried parsley flakes

1. Rinse the chicken well and pat dry; remove any excess fat.

2. In a skillet, melt the butter, saute the onion, celelry, and mushrooms until tender.

3. Toss in the stuffing mix, 2 tablespoons parsley flakes, sage, pepper and broth. Stir until stuffing is moistened.

4. Loosely stuff the chicken with the dressing. If using a large crock pot, truss the chicken to keep its shape.

5.Lightly oil the crock pot. Put the remaining dressing in the crock pot. Place chicken on top of dressing. Rub the chicken breast with 1 teaspoon butter; sprinkle with paprika and parsley flakes.

6. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

7. Remove the chicken to serving platter and surround with scoops of dressing. Garnish as desired.