Pumpkin Spice Lattes - in the Crockpot!

Fall is my favorite. For so many reasons. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are one of them.

In case you are unaware of this fabulous drink, they are only available at Starbucks in the fall. Which used to be a reason for sadness for me.

Until I found this recipe from the Crockpot Lady. Now I can have them all year round and they won't cost me a small fortune.

My hubby is not a coffee drinker so I have to share these with friends - a good excuse to get together often!

A couple of tips:
*I make a pot of extra strong coffee and then freeze it in ice cube trays to have on hand whenever I want to make these - very handy!
*This recipe uses a small amount of a can of pumpkin, so why not freeze the leftover in ice cube trays as well?! Works great!

Happy fall!

Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Ingredients
--2 cups milk (I used 1%)
--2 T canned pumpkin
--2 T white sugar
--2 T vanilla (not a typo. it asks for tablespoons)
--1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
OR: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger
--1/2 cup brewed espresso or 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
--garnish with whipped cream (optional)

The Directions.

This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit leftover. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. I used a 4-quart crockpot, but as small as a 1.5 quart will work with these amounts.

Add the coffee/espresso and milk to the crockpot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. Whisk again.

Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is in the crock pot right now. I know most people don't like soup in the summer but this just sounded good to me so it was put on the menu. Plus, it's really easy. Do I say that too much?

The recipe came from my good friend Ci, who made it for our small group once.

She would probably hate these pictures (which are from a year ago), but I love them because they show how fun she is! She is super good with the kiddos - I love that. And she loves the Lord - I really love that.

She is also amazingly (is that a word?) talented and creative. She took these photos, which I am in love with. And not just because they are of my son :)

Did I mention she has a beautiful voice? She does. I could go on and on. Really.

Anyways, the recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth

1 can tomato soup

1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (undrained)

1 large can chunk chicken breast (today I used 2 cups of cubed chicken breast)

2 cups frozen corn

Directions:

Are you ready for this?

Dump these ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Didn't even break a sweat, did you?

You can top with whatever you like, but we especially like colorful fried tortilla strips. Plain old crushed tortilla chips will have to do for today - still yummy, just not as pretty. Stephen tops his with cheese and I know several in our small group added sour cream.

Enjoy. Thanks Ci!

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

I saw this recipe sometime last year and knew I needed to try it. I finally got around to it last night. I was not disappointed. I thought it was excellent AND easy! Stephen thought it was ok, Jeremiah was being difficult about eating (what's new), and Joshua ate his fair share (big surprise).

I used four large frozen chicken breasts in a 4-qt crockpot. I cooked it on low for 8 1/2 hours. I always have a problem with chicken drying out in the crockpot, but not the case this time!

I served it over white rice with the "sauce" ladled over it. Then I shredded the extra and used it on a salad today.

The "Crockpot Lady" is done with her year of crockpotting, but all the recipes can still be found on her blog and she posts new ones every once in a while. Brown Sugar Chicken is definitely worth trying for your family!

French Dip Sandwiches

This is in the crock pot right now. It is another Mom favorite. For a while, Stephen would request it every time we went to my parents. Now I make it at home, but I still think it tastes better when Mom makes it!

This is a great meal to make ahead of time. The meat can be frozen with some juice so it doesn't dry out when thawed. My mom would make it a day or two ahead of time and refrigerate the juices so the fat would be easier to skim off the top. I usually cook the meat seven hours on low because it is almost too tender after nine hours and falls apart when slicing.

The recipe comes from an old issue of Quick Cooking.

Ingredients:
2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 beef bottom round roast (3 to 4 pounds)
5 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix
1-1/2 teaspoons browning sauce, optional
1 garlic clove, minced
12 to 14 French rolls, split
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onions in butter until tender; transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cut the roast in half; place over onions. In a large bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, soup mix, browning sauce if desired and garlic; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove roast with a slotted spoon and let stand for 15 minutes. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Place on rolls; sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Broil 3 to 4 in. from the heat for 1 minute or until the cheese is melted. Skim fat from juices; strain and serve as a dipping sauce. Yield: 12-14 servings.