Cooking Beef Casserole in a Crockpot

There are various ways to cook beef but crockpot cooking brings out the juiciness and flavor of beef really well. You can cook the toughest beef cuts in a slow cooker and it will come out succulent and delicious because of the moist, slow cooking method.

One of the most popular slow cooker recipes of all time is beef casserole. This is such a simple dish but there are so many different ingredients you can choose from. Classic ingredients include potatoes, onion and carrot but you can also use other vegetables such as zucchini, yam, rutabaga, broccoli and more, depending on what you have to use up and what flavor you are aiming for.

Why We Love Casseroles

Casserole recipes are simple to make and satisfying to eat. Not only can you add any meat, vegetables and flavors you like but you can choose from thick and rich casseroles to thin, watery ones.

Serve either of these over a mound of mashed potatoes or rice and you have a rich, filling and truly delicious dinner. The crockpot could have been invented solely for making casseroles because they come out so incredibly well.

You can make beef casserole, chicken casserole, pork casserole or even fish casserole in a slow cooker and the ingredients will merge their flavors in the same way, resulting in a flavorful dish which everyone will be impressed with. A lot of crockpot casserole recipes also freeze well so you can make a huge casserole and freeze half for another occasion.

Recipe for German Beef Casserole

This delicious crockpot recipe is easy to make and combines beef with carrots and an assortment of spices and flavorings including molasses, tomatoes, sherry and ginger. This is a rich and tasty dish and a real winter warmer of a meal. Serve this German style beef casserole with bread for mopping up the wonderful juices.

You will find that the sherry and ginger add a special elegance to this beef casserole. Some beef casserole recipes feature beer or red wine to enhance the beef flavor but the sherry also goes well. The ginger lends the dish a trace of oriental flavor without detracting from the European influence.

This is a really special recipe. If you like, you can omit the potato and serve it with some mashed potatoes on the side instead. Of course you will have to make those on the stove.

What you will need:

• 1 1/2 lbs beef chuck


• 2 cups carrots, sliced thinly


• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt


• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper


• 1 cup water


• 1/4 cup dark molasses


• 16 oz can diced tomatoes in juice


• 2 tablespoons flour


• 1/4 cup sherry


• 1 potato, chopped


• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

How to make it:

Cut the beef into two inch cubes and add it to the crockpot. Sprinkle the ginger, pepper, salt and garlic powder on top, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir briefly. Cover the slow cooker and cook for six to eight hours on low. Stir and serve hot.

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

When you are too busy to cook fancy dinners but you have the craving for one, you have found the right recipe for that. Shrimp are always easy to make and delicious to enjoy, that is why they have become very popular when cooking. This recipe does not need more than a few pounds of shrimp and good pasta to make it right, fast and delightful.

You will need:

Linguini pasta (1 pound)

Butter (1/4 cup)

Garlic (5 cloves, minced)

Shrimp (1 pound, deveined and peeled)

Bread Crumbs (1 cup)

White wine (1/2 cup)

Lemon (1, juiced)

Olive oil (1/4 cup)

How to do it:

This recipe it's very fast, all you have to do it's preheat the oven and have it ready to a 350ºF or 175ºC; while this is warming up you have to do the pasta, that's very simple just take a large pot with water and put it over medium heat, add the pasta and keep boiling until it reaches the right point, drain it well and keep it ready for the next step. Now melt the butter, do this in a large skillet, add most of the garlic but save some for latter. Make sure everything is well mixed; one very important advice is to do not let the garlic turn brown. Add the shrimp and coat everything, do no let the shrimp cook; remove everything from the fire to avoid cooking. Before you finish take the breadcrumbs and sprinkle them over the shrimp; take all of this to a casserole dish. This is the point were you'll add lemon juice and wine, cover everything and bake it for 10 minutes; now you will see the shrimp turning pink. The final step is to heat the remaining garlic with olive oil and toss the pasta to this mixture. To serve put the shrimp over the pasta and make it fashionable with little lemon slices on the side.

Preschool Cooking Recipes

Looking for great preschool cooking recipes? There are some great recipes out there that preschoolers are sure to like. Finding great recipes is important and you'll want options that kids will actually eat. There are plenty of recipes that are not only healthy and tasty for preschool meals, but some recipes are easy enough that you may be able to get preschoolers involved in the preparation as well. Here are a few great preschool cooking recipes that you may want to try out with your preschoolers.

Tasty Chicken Quesadillas

One great recipe to try out for your preschoolers is tasty chicken quesadillas. All you'll need is some cooked chicken all diced up, some salsa, corn kernels, flour tortillas, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and grated cheese. Mix together a half cup of chicken, half a cup of salsa, a quarter cup of corn, and a half teaspoon of cumin. Then put tortillas on ungreased baking sheets. Have kids help you put the chicken mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the chicken and then top with another tortilla and press together. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle a bit of chili powder on top, and then bake the tortillas on 450 until done.

Special Grilled Cheese

If you are looking for a tasty and yummy meal for preschoolers, this one is a winner. It's a simple twist on regular grilled cheese. Simply make the grilled cheese the way you normally would, but along with the cheese you put in some turkey breast or some ham. They are simple to assemble, so the kids can help out. Also, it adds some protein to the sandwiches, which is great for kids.

Veggie Omelets

Feeding the kids breakfast? Well, here is a full breakfast meal that is easy to make. Kids can even personalize their own omelets if they want to. You'll need eggs and plenty of chopped veggies, such as onions, mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes. Use about 1-2 eggs per omelet. Allow kids to choose the veggies they want in their omelet. Mix in some cheeses too for some dairy. This is a healthy breakfast or it even makes a good brunch meal.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Another great option for a meal for preschoolers is chicken salad sandwiches. It's easy to make and it feeds quite a lot at once. Simply boil some boneless chicken breasts. Allow them to cool. Once they are cool you can chop up or run through a food processor. Add mayonnaise, a bit of sour cream, relish, and a pinch of basil and garlic powder. Kids can help mix up the chicken salad and with guidance can even help put the salad on bread as well.

Healthy Pizza

Kids love pizza. In fact, there are very few kids that won't eat this tasty treat. So, why not make it for your preschoolers? You can make it healthy by avoiding too much meat and adding plenty of veggies. It's easiest if you purchase a crust already made, and a whole grain crust is especially healthy. Get the crust rolled out and spread tomato sauce on the crust, then sprinkle with the cheeses. Allow kids to help make the rest of the pizza, adding some pepperoni, onions, peppers,