1. Spicy Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Dried black beans are cooked all day in a slow cooker with chicken broth, canned jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.

1 pound dry black beans, soaked overnight
4 teaspoons diced jalapeno peppers
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Description

Drain black beans, and rinse. Combine beans, jalapenos, and chicken broth in a slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Reduce heat to LOW, and continue cooking for 2 hours, or until you are ready to eat. Serves 6.

Calories: 304.59, Calories from Fat: N/A, Total Fat: 3.46 g, Saturated Fat: N/A, Cholesterol: N/A, Sodium: N/A, Total Carbohydrate: 49.67 g, Dietary Fiber: N/A, Sugars: N/A, Protein: 18.69 g, Vitamin A: N/A, Vitamin C: N/A

2. Mexican Minestrone

2 cups red potatoes, diced
2 cups green beans, frozen
30 ounces black beans, canned drained
29 ounces stewed tomatoes or Ro-Tel for a spicier soup
28 ounces vegetable broth
15 1/4 ounces corn, canned drained
15 ounces garbanzo beans, canned drained
1 cup salsa

Description

In a 5- to 6-quart crockpot combine potatoes and frozen green beans. Add black beans, undrained tomatoes, broth, corn, garbanzo beans, and salsa. Cover; cook on LOW heat setting for 9 to11 hours or on HIGH for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. Serve with warmed tortillas or tortilla chips.

3. Pineapple Salsa Chicken

6 skinless chicken breasts
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 (32 ounces) jar mild or medium chunky style salsa

Place chicken breasts in crockpot; add remaining ingredients. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with warm tortillas and hot cooked rice. Leftovers make wonderful burritos!

4. Crockpot Italian Sausage Soup

1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut into half rings
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounces) can of great northern beans
2 (14 ounces) can beef broth

Description

Brown the sausage, onion, and green pepper; drain. Pour into crockpot along with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. Makes 7 cups.

5. Crockpot Bean Soup

2 to 3 cups pinto beans, lentils or mixed varieties
1 bay leaf
10 cups water or broth
1 small onion, chopped
1 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 teaspoon salt or to preference
Dash red or black pepper
1 clove garlic

Description

Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook overnight or 6 to 8 hours on HIGH. Variation: Add taco seasoning and 1 can of tomato sauce after cooking and one can of corn; no need to drain. Serve with corn chips or cornbread.

6. Tia Maria

26 ounces inexpensive Brandy
1 vanilla bean
5 cups boiling water
5 cups granulated sugar
2 ounces Spice Island Antiqua coffee

Description

Mix coffee and sugar well. Pour in boiling water, mix well, let stand until cool. Add brandy, cut vanilla bean lengthwise, and drop into the bottle. Let stand 30 days. Makes approximately 3 1/2 bottles (90 ounces).

7. Crockpot Taco Chili

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup (1 medium) onion, chopped
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounces) can Ro*Tel
1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (5 ounce) can chili beans in chili sauce
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
Shredded mozzarella, Monterey jack or Cheddar cheese
Slightly crushed tortilla chips

Description

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion, one-half at a time, until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Transfer to a 3-1/2 or 4-quart crockpot. Stir in dry taco seasoning mix, diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, pinto beans, chili beans in chili sauce and corn. Cover; cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

Sprinkle each serving with some cheese and chips. Makes 8 servings.

8. Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 cans condensed creamy chicken mushroom soup
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10 ounces) package frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, peas, corn, carrots)
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper or garlic-pepper seasoning
1 1/2 cups dried egg noodles

Description

In a crockpot gradually stir 5 cups of water into the soup. Whisk until smooth. Stir in chicken, vegetables, and seasoned pepper. Cover; cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

If using a low heat setting, turn to high. Stir in noodles. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more or until noodles are just tender.

9. Nutty Buddies

Source: featured during the presentation of Best Friends during TBS Superstation's Dinner & a Movie

For the Ice Cream

2 cups half-and-half or milk
1 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
7 egg yolks

For that irresistible Nutty Buddy coating

16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups shelled, unsalted peanuts
8 waffle cones
1 good buddy (to taste)

Description

Make the ice cream, Slit vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla bean pod, half-and-half, cream, and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low, stirring often.

Combine the sugar and the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk until very thick and pale, at least 3 minutes. Slowly whisk a cup or so of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan as slowly as possible. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove any lumps that might have formed by straining the hot custard through a fine strainer into a clean stainless steel bowl. Transfer any vanilla pods trapped in the strainer back into the custard. Place the bowl of custard into a larger bowl of ice water to chill the mixture as quickly as possible, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the chilled mixture to your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. (Allow 30 to 40 minutes) Ask your buddy nicely to crank the machine while you slowly melt the chocolate in a bowl over boiling water and chop the nuts. (Isn't it great to have a best friend?)

Once the ice cream is dense, creamy, and silky smooth, drizzle a tablespoon of melted chocolate into each waffle cone followed by an extremely firm scoop of vanilla ice cream. Carefully dip each cone first into the melted chocolate; then immediately into the chopped peanuts. Repeat if desired.

These nutty buddies will make you popular among your friends but, when it's time to do the dishes, you'll find out who your real buddies are. Servings: 4

10.Cheesy Mexican Soup

2 cups chopped zucchini
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (16 ounce) jar Cheddar cheese pasta sauce
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Coarsely crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Description

In a 3 1/2 to 4-quart crockpot place zucchini, bell pepper, onion, beans, and corn. Pour undrained tomatoes over vegetables and beans. Combine cheese sauce and broth; pour overall. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips, if desired. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Nutritional info per serving: 287 cal, 14 g total fat (5 g fat), 35 mg chol, 1,391 mg sodium, 36 g carbo, 7 g fiber, 12 g pro

11. Texas Two-Step Stew

8 ounces uncooked chorizo sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce can Mexican-style or Tex-Mex-style chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can hominy or 1 (11 ounces) can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained
1 (6 ounce) package regular Spanish-style rice mix
6 cups water

Description

Remove casings from sausage, if present. In a medium skillet cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Drain fat. Transfer sausage mixture to a 3 1/2- to 4-quart crockpot. Stir in undrained chili beans, hominy, and the seasoning packet contents from the rice mix. Pour water overall. Cover; cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.

Stir in the remaining rice mixture. Cover; cook on LOW for 1 hour more or on HIGH for 45 minutes more. 6 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 383 cal, 16 g total fat (6 g sat fat), 33 mg chol, 1385 mg sodium, 44 g carbo, 6 g fiber, 16 g prot

12.Taco Ro-Tel Chili

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 onions, chopped
2 envelopes taco seasoning
2 can Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chiles
2 cans spicy refried beans
1/2 cup water
1 can small red beans
1 teaspoon Cajun jalapeno sauce, optional

Description

Brown ground beef and onions. Drain. Mix in the crockpot with remaining ingredients. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours. To serve, garnish with grated Cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream.

13.Italian Ravioli Stew

2 cups sliced fresh carrots
1 cup onions, chopped
2 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (14 1/2 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (19 ounces) can of white kidney or cannellini beans, drained
2 teaspoons diced basil leaves
1 (9 ounces) package refrigerated Italian sausage or cheese-filled ravioli

Description

Combine all ingredients, except ravioli, in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart crockpot. Mix well. Cover; cook on LOW for 6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Before serving, increase heat to HIGH. Add ravioli; cover and cook an additional 8 minutes or until ravioli are tender. Servings: 8