Mexicana Mama's Meatloaf and New Crockpot Recipes

I love my crockpots. Yes, that is plural. I love my multi-cooker too. A girl who has 4 slow cookers can never have too many crockpot recipes. They are wonderful time savers, energy savers, and money savers too. I often slow cook meats in large batches to use several different ways. But sometimes, it is great to have a complete meal or even a side dish in the slow cooker. This month, we gotcha covered.

I have some wonderful "filling" for soft tacos, salads and omelets. So versatile, and yet the flavor profiles you can make are endless. My Chicken Mole is incredible. I have enjoyed amazing salads with it, and my son loved it in quesadillas. But then, you will also want to try the new Tipsy Chicken Verde. Beer, salsa and cream cheese make so delicious. I admit to eating a bowlful alone, but it is meant to be on salad greens, in a low carb wrap or flavoring an omelet.

 I have terrific one pot meals too--like the totally tasty Stuffed Pepper Soup. That one uses Miracle Rice, but even my super picky hubby really liked it. Woohoo. Anytime I can serve soup as the main meal, I am happy. Plus, in my multi-cooker, I can use the browning function and skip browning the beef in a separate skillet. Fewer dishes to wash. Country Ribs are also excellent in the slow cooker. I still had some cranberries left from the holidays, so they combined with balsamic vinegar for a slightly sweet and tart main dish. Easy!

So that is a peak into what this month's Diner News features. Now onto the featured recipe to share here. I chose this meatloaf, because most don't think of making meatloaves in the crockpot. You so can! I have pressure cooked them too, but this was so easy. I prepped it the night before, then added it to the cooker in the morning before school. Because my multicooker can delay start time, I didn't have to overcook. I set it to start a couple of hours after I left. Can't tell you just how good the house smelled when I got home! I love my cooker because it keeps the dish warm after the programmed end time too. I love all these features.

The star in this dish is the fire roasted salsa style tomatoes. If you can't find those at Aldi, then you can substitute another brand or a can of Rotel style tomatoes. I am thinking they would make it a much spicer taste, but still good.

Mexicana Mama Meatloaf in the Crockpot

1 1/2 lb ground beef

14.5 oz can fire roasted salsa style tomatoes

1 egg

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Combine meat with 1 cup tomatoes, egg, coconut flour, chia, and spices. Form into a ball and place into an ovenproof bowl that will fit inside the slow cooker. Top with remaining tomatoes. Pour a  half cup of water in the base of the slow cooker and place the meatloaf inside. Cook on high heat for 3 - 4 hours. Use tongs to remove the loaf dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

If you own a multi-cooker, this can be pressure cooked also for 15 minutes on high pressure.

Serves 4:  460 calories   5 net g carb

 I think you might be able to cook directly in the base, but I chose to form my loaf inside a small casserole dish that fits inside my slow cooker. That way, it was easy to remove and still very pretty. Just a little water in the bottom, and the dish on the trivet. When it was done, I was able to tilt the dish a bit to pour off collected fat. It went into the water, making cleanup a breeze. 

This was so full of flavor! I made some sauteed zucchini on the side, but anything that goes with Tex-Mex would be amazing.

Now, for a sneak peak into the other recipes in the February Diner News. Get out that crockpot! Or as in my case, those crockpots. Now you see why I have 4!

German Caulimash

Cran-Apple Country Pork Ribs

Tipsy Chicken Verde

Crocked Burgers in Mushroom Gravy

Hungarian Caulimash

Lemon Kale and Chicken Soup

Chicken Mole

Spaghetti Squash in the Crockpot

Balsamic Brussels

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Grandma's Green Beans

Hobo Dinner in the Slow Cooker

Beer Braised Brats

Poppyseed Chicken

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Mississippi Roast

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Chicken Parmesan Soup

Crazy busy at your house? This is not a glam recipe. No one will be dazzled by the beauty of it. No special Christmas cheer,,,but it is really tasty. It reminds me of Italian Wedding Soup--the one with those little meatballs. With some shortcuts you will appreciate, it gets you out of the kitchen and on to those holiday festivities. Afterall, not every holiday meal is a showcase!

Nesco 

My shortcuts include my electric pressure cooker. Love that thing. With it, I can take these delicious Chicken Parmesan sausages from Sprouts--straight from the freezer, mind you-- and have a fantastic soup on the table in about half an hour. I am thinking about doing some blogs about gifts that would be loved and used by low carbers like us. This is certainly one. My version of the electric pressure cooker is also a slow cooker and sells for about 75 bucks.  This vegetable soup tastes like it simmered all day, and you can do it that way if you want. Not me, at least not today.

But if it is another one of those "I'm so busy how can I think about dinner?" kinda days, then this pressure cooker could save your life. Well maybe not your life, but at least your diet. Shortcut number two: I keep a selection of Sprouts sausages in the freezer. Sometimes I am so lazy I don't even re-wrap them from the lump they come in from the butcher department. I just stick them in there, paper wrapping and all. The problem is, the sausages are harder to thaw in a big lump. Bad for a conventional method of cooking, but no problem at all in the pressure cooker. They will steam cook or boil, you choose, in about 9 minutes cooking time. You do have the additional time of bringing the pot up to pressure, but still, not much time. If you are cooking them stovetop, better plan on half an hour and check them to break the big lump at the midway mark. See why I love my electric pressure cooker? When time is up and I have released the pressure the fast way, they have separated and are cooked through. Woohoo.

For this soup, I just used my kitchen shears to "slice" them up. So fast. The slices are tender and delicious. Like I said, they remind me of the meatballs in Italian Wedding Soup. Lots easier to make though. No comparison on ease of prep! Plus, the time the sausages are cooking is not wasted. That is when I chop the fresh vegetables to add in. Efficient, no? Once the sausages are sliced, add in the fresh veggies of choice and back to cook under pressure. A mere 5 minutes on high pressure and you are done. Tender veggies that retain a little character, but blend so well with the chicken flavor.

In my last time saver, I use a can of petite diced tomatoes (S&W Premium) that already have the garlic and Italian seasonings added. Watch for sugar added on some brands. This comes in at 3 net carbs per half cup serving. If you can't find one, just add in your own garlic, basil and oregano to taste. Now ready for the recipe?

Chicken Parmesan Soup

3 Chicken Parmesan Sausage Links (>2 carbs each)
14 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
3 cans water (42 oz)
6 oz sliced portabella mushrooms
4 cups finely diced cabbage (could sub fresh spinach)
3 ribs celery, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup shaved fresh Parmesan Cheese

Place the sausage into the pressure cooker along with the tomatoes and water. Bring up to high pressure and cook for 9 minutes if sausage is frozen, 5 if thawed. Chop vegetables while the sausages are cooking. Release pressure using the quick release method.

Remove sausages and slice into bite sized pieces. Return to pot. Add chopped vegetables and salt. Return to high pressure and cook 5 minutes. Let the pressure drop naturally for 5 minutes, then use quick release. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

For a conventional cooking method, thaw sausages. Combine all ingredients except cheese and simmer in a dutch oven on the stove top for an hour or more. Remove cooked sausages and slice. Return to pot. Ladle and top with cheese.

Serves 6:    136 calories   5 net carbs (9)   15 g protein

This is super low calorie. Good if you have been indulging a little too often this holiday season. If not, it gives you lots of room for some fattier low carb treats, like a nice hot cocoa or a fat bomb or two.

For me, the leftover servings are going into mason jars for lunches this week. That makes this a Multiply Meal for us. I know I am going to appreciate this hot meal later this week at school.

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Cheater's Cincinnati Chili --The Famous 3 Way

I remember back in high school, when we had an assembly with a longer than normal lunch break, my friends would load into my Mercury Comet (could tell ya a few stories about that car!) and drive across my little hometown to the Coney Islander. I never ate the coneys. I always got the 3-Way--spaghetti noodles, chili and cheese. My little restaurant did not count beans as separate. I understand true Cincinnati lovers would say I was eating a 4 way, but hey, we were a long way from Ohio! I loved it even though I usually did end up with a spot or two of chili on my shirt.

I happened to see 3-Way again recently, and that started a craving. So today, I decided to make a batch. My oldest son really liked the spice combo in the vegetarian version I used to make. The taste of Cincinnati chili is different. The spices are amped up from traditional chili. Cinnamon, Allspice and Cloves. Add those to the chili powder, cumin and coriander. But, the chili is the easy part. Where to get that spaghetti? I chose to cut some yellow squash--the last from my gardening friends. Not exactly the same, but really good in its own right. The chili would be good on it's own too.

Since it is prep day, and those are ever so important with the hours I am keeping at school, I opted for a pressure cooker version today. Full of shortcuts even. You can do the slower version and not cheat as much as I did. Either way, you will have a delicious meal. My apologies to the Cincinnati purists. Think of this version as a tribute rather than a copy. I used both ground beef and ground turkey, Cost efficient and a good way to make my grass fed beef go farther. And I even skipped the browning step. Don't do this unless you are making it in the pressure cooker like I am.

Cheater's Cincinnati Chili

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
4 cups water
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 packets sweetener (equivalent to 4 tsp)
3 yellow squash
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Option 1: Brown the ground beef, turkey and chopped onion in the base of the pressure cooker or in a skillet. Drain any fat, then add the water, tomatoes, pumpkin, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, coriander, salt, garlic powder, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to full pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure release naturally. After cooking, add the vinegar and sweetener. Adjust salt to taste.

Option 2:  Add the water, tomatoes, pumpkin, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, coriander, salt, garlic powder, allspice, cinnamon and cloves to the pot and stir to combine. Add frozen meats and chopped onion into the sauce. Bring cooker to full pressure and cook for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. After cooking, add the vinegar and sweetener. Adjust salt to taste.

Option 3:  Brown the ground beef, turkey and chopped onion in Dutch oven. Drain any fat, then add the water, tomatoes, pumpkin, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, coriander, salt, garlic powder, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Simmer for an hour on stovetop. After cooking, add the vinegar and sweetener. Adjust salt to taste.

Use a julienne tool to create squash noodles. Saute them lightly in coconut oil. Divide among plates and spoon chili over the squash. Top with cheese and serve.

Serves 6:   436 calories   9 g net carbs     27 g fat     36 g protein


I ate a portion tonight, and this will make a fine lunch this week at school also. No more driving that old car on my lunch hour!

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Tastes like Wendy's Chili

Chili was not my main focus tonight, but I am so glad I made it. I was trying for a real diner style meal, with a cup of chili, a salad and some home fries. Those fries just didn't work out too well. I tried the radish home fries off Linda's site, but they never worked out for me. The texture was all wrong, and I pretty much burned them trying to get them crispy. What a waste of my precious bacon salt! Maybe something was wrong with my radishes, because mine never turned the rosy color as in Linda's. If you want to give it a go, the recipe is here.

My second thought chili was really good though, especially if you have a fondness for Wendy's chili. This is mild, and the pressure cooker makes the beef tender just like theirs. I wish I could give the exact recipe, but I wasn't expecting to be posting about this, so I just eye-balled it. Not to mention I ran out of chili powder. The following is my approximation of my recipe. Be looking for more chili recipes as I get ready for our upcoming Chili Cook-off in my support group. My other pressure cooker chili recipe is here.

Tastes Like Wendy's Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1 rib celery
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
8 ounce tomato sauce
1 cup water
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 can black soy beans
shredded cheddar and sour cream for topping

Brown and drain ground beef. Place it in the pressure cooker. Dice onion, celery and bell pepper in a food processor. Add all ingredients to the cooker and mix together. Bring up to pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Top with cheese and sour cream.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised my radish fries were a failure. I am having a rough day today. The toilet has been broken. The plumber came to fix it. With a part that cost $27.50, the bill for 15 minutes of work totaled $127.50. Yikes. We even had the replacement part, but the plumber wouldn't use ours. I figured it out. The plumber was making $400 dollars per hour. The ad claimed no fee for a service call, but gee whiz--$100 for labor? Sure wish I could work for that! Add to that, my oldest called home to let us know the master brake cylinder went out in his truck. More good news. I will thank the Lord that although his brakes failed, no one was hurt, he did not have a wreck, and he did not damage anyone's property. I will be thankful in all things. Add to that, the chili was tasty. Tomorrow is another day.

Chicken Paprikash

This is my last experiment with pressure cooker recipes for a while. This chicken dish has a short list of ingredients and is fairly simple to make. It was a bit bland for my tastes, but the guys seemed to like it.

I used frozen bone in chicken thighs. Next time I think I would try boneless because the step of removing the bone and skin from the broth was more time consuming than I would prefer--especially in the summer. It wasn't too bad, though, because the pressure makes the meat very tender. Still, this is perfect comfort food for my northerner hubby. With a big grin on his face, he asked how I knew he was in the mood for chicken. Well, that is easy. He is always in the mood for chicken!

Pressure Cooker Chicken Paprikash

4 pounds chicken thighs
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
8 ounces sour cream
1 pound cauliflower, steamed

Add all ingredients to the pressure cooker. Bring up to full pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Release the pressure. Remove the chicken. Discard the skin and bones and set meat aside. Stir in the xanthan gum. Slowly stir in the sour cream. Add chicken back to sauce. Serve over steamed cauliflower.

My friend NeeCee came over today and I helped her and her kiddos assemble all the necessary items to pack bento lunches for the upcoming school year. Hopefully, I will have some photos to show from our lunch hours!

Chili Cheese under Pressure

I am the type who never gets tired of Mexican food--even when the temperature is in the 90s outside. I hate a hot kitchen, though. This recipe, a Multiply Meal, is perfect. It adds a little spice, some healthy veggies and is ready fast! (Thank you to my pressure cooker again.)

I added some noodles and made chili mac for my carby boys. It was just as wonderful spooned over some iceberg lettuce. The pressure cooker makes the beef so tender, and it is tough to tell the veggies are even in there! Since I have an 8 quart pot, I made enough for two more meals.

Chili Cheese Under Pressure

5 pounds ground beef
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
14 ounce can of beef broth
2 Tablespoons of Chili Powder or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)
2 Tablespoons of cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
5 ribs of celery
1 yellow squash
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
1 cup water
1 pound American cheese
hot sauce to taste

Brown the hamburger in a large skillet. While that is browning, chop vegetables by hand or with a food processor. Drain beef. Add all ingredients except the cheese and hot sauce to the pressure cooker. Let it come to full pressure and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Release pressure and stir in cheese slices. Stir to incorporate cheese and season to taste. To serve, eat alone or ladled over iceberg lettuce and topped with additional cheese.
Freeze the remaining chili for future meals.

If you don't have a pressure cooker, this could be made on the stove top or crock pot as well. Jut remember to add the cheese at the end. With a little more tweaking, this just could be my entry for my school group's annual chili cook-off this fall.

Twice-Cooked Country Ribs

Sunday is my prep day. Today we tried something different for a "Triple Play" choice--cooking more than one meal's meats on the grill. We don't have a big fancy gas grill; we use just a portable charcoal variety. Today it made enough food for lunch today, another later this week, plus six pounds of pork country style ribs.

Often ribs cooked on the grill are really tough. If you want to avoid a wrestling match trying to eat them, you can tenderize the meat with slow cooking, or partially cooking before grilling. I chose the latter, and used my pressure cooker to do the job. The result is tender ribs that still have all the smokey goodness of the grill.

Twice Cooked Country Ribs

4-6 pounds of country style pork ribs
1 12 ounce can of beer
2/3 cup water
barbecue seasoning
1 cup no sugar barbecue sauce

Place the beer and water in a pressure cooker. Sprinkle the ribs with barbecue seasoning and pat it in on all sides. Layer ribs in the pressure cooker. Attach the lid and bring it up to full pressure. Cook for 15 minutes. Release pressure and remove the ribs. Place them on a prepared grill. Baste with barbecue sauce until the ribs are browned and well glazed.

Now we are saving money by getting more out of the charcoal. We also have a couple of extra meals ready to go for later in the week. I just have to keep the men in the house out of the ribs and extra hamburgers until then. The sample bites we took were great.

Pressure Cooker Cacciatore

Summer is a great time to use a pressure cooker. Before we low carbed, I used mine all the time to cook beans. Now, I really need to get busy developing some low carb recipes for my pressure cooker. It certainly saves time, and keep me from having to heat up the oven. In many recipes, the meat is so tender cooked under pressure as well.

Tonight, I made Chicken Cacciatore. Talk about easy. Just throw in some frozen chicken thighs, a can of Italian diced tomatoes, some black olives and some extra garlic and Italian seasoning blend. I didn't measure; I just dumped. I did add a cup of water to provide the steaming action needed for pressure. After bringing my cooker up to full pressure, I cooked it for 25 minutes. The chicken was tender and nearly fell off the bones.

To complete the meal, I used a frozen portion of Bald Calzone. Everybody loves that at my house!

I am saving the leftover broth for some Italian Chicken soup I will be able to make with "Freezer Favorite" Chicken Cubes. But that's another meal, another day. It is amazing how having at least one portion of the meal prepped in advance saves so much time. That is why I love my 24/7 Diner System.