15 Bean Stew

1 bag 15 bean mix, dried
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 Tbs garlic, minced
1 can Rotel chilis and tomatoes
2 TBS Emeril Essence*
2 bay leaves
2 quarts water or 1 quart chicken broth and 1 quart water
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Soak beans overnight. Rinse and add to crockpot. Add bay leaves and water or chicken broth and cook for several hours, uncovered, until beans are all fork tender.

In a pan add oil and saute onions until soft under low to medium heat. Push onions aside and add a little more oil and now add garlic, cooking for no more than one minute. Add Rotel tomatoes and chilis and stir well.

Pour onions, garlic, and Rotel mixture into crockpot. Season with Essence, salt, and black pepper, as well as lime or lemon juice.

Stir well and cook for one more hour on high heat.

* Essence

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Mix all together and store in bottle.

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com

Applesauce Sauerkraut

4 cups sauerkraut -- rinsed, drained
2 cups applesauce
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 Tbs butter

Combine all ingredients. Place in a greased 3 1/2-quart crock pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. This recipe yields 6 servings.

And a reader to our Crockpot Newsletter writes:

• Good stuff, sauerkraut!
• Another nice addition to make it even more tasty is grated potato... hunks of apple are always good as well as apple cider... when I haven't had apple cider on hand, believe it or not, tea is also really good. - Deborah

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com

Reader submitted Crockpot Meatloaf

Patti G's Meatloaf

"Just make a meat loaf mixture the same as you normally would, using about 1 1 /2 or 2 lbs. of ground beef.

Put 6 potatoes, peeled and cut up in bottom of crockpot (I sprayed some oil in first.)

Then put in a small bag of carrots

Add a layer of fresh onion slices, if you wish.

Salt and pepper all those ingredients.

Shape meat mixture into a flat, round "shape" and sort of press down on top of veggies.

Open and drain a can of diced tomatoes and spread tomatoes on top of meat mixture.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. (I cooked on low for about 5 hours and then turned to high for about 2 hours - remove the lid for the last 20 minutes or so.) You can speed up the cooking process if you need to (as I did) according to your schedule." -- Patti

• And now a note from another reader with a variation...

Dear Chet, in response to Patty G's meatloaf crockpot recipe, here is a great variation: I made a meatloaf with all the goodies , some grass fed sausage and hamburger mixed together, about 1\3 sausage to the hamburger, diced some celery and onion and put Salsa in the mixture then put half the meat in on top of the potatoes and then put chedder cheese on the meat and then added the rest of the meat. Cooked for several hours and at the last 1\2 hour I put it on high and added some more red salsa to the top and it comes out fantastic. thanks for a great newsletter

Editor's Note: Find the original recipe and hundreds more in our free crockpot newsletter, which can be subscribed to here.

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com

Curry Vegetable Rice

An easy and delicious vegetable curry with rice. Colorful and spicy.

3 cups coarsely chopped red potatoes
2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped sweet potatoes
1 cup coarsely chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 (14-oz) can vegetable broth
1 (13.5-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews

Add the first 9 ingredients to your crockpot; stir the ingredients to mix them up. Pour the broth and coconut milk over the vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours. Stir in the rice and frozen peas; cover and cook 5 more minutes. Ladle mixture onto individual plates and sprinkle with cashews.

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com

Vegetarian Gumbo

1 onion, chopped
1/2 green peppers, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb okra, sliced, fresh,frozen
1 lb tomato, fresh, or canned
2 cups corn, fresh, frozen, or canned
1 tsp vegetable bouillon granules
1/2 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs basil or rosemary, minced

In a skillet or pot, place bouillon and white grape juice, onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes. Once tender, move to crockpot and add other ingredients and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until until corn and okra are done. If you use dried herbs, rub them with the palms of your hands before adding to the pot, this releases their mojo.

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com

Cinnamon Butternut Squash

Some vegetable dishes, using the right ingredients, can be transformed into a sweet and interesting side dish that has the flavor of a dessert. Butternut squash is naturally sweet that can be made to taste like dessert.

3 large butternut squash
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon
1 (1.5-oz) box raisins

Peel and cut squash in half lengthwise, removing seeds. Cut into cubes. Melt butter in slow cooker and then add in the pieces of squash. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins over the squash cubes and the butter. Mix all ingredients well. Cook on Low for 6 hours.

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com

Italian Brisket

1 (3 lb) boneless beef brisket, partially frozen
1 medium onion, quartered, sliced
1 (19 oz) can Progresso Tomato Basil Soup
2 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
10 (1/2-inch-thick) slices Italian bread
10 (1 oz) slices provolone cheese
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Cut beef diagonally across grain into thin slices. Place beef in 3- 1/2 or 4-qt slow cooker. Add onion. In medium bowl, combine soup, cornstarch, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, ground red pepper and Worcestershire sauce; mix until smooth. Pour over beef and onion. Cover; cook on low setting for 10-12 hours. To serve, place 1 slice of bread on each individual plate. Top each with slice of cheese and spoon about 3/4 cut beef mixture over each. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 10 servings.

Josh Day
Editor, Crockpot Recipes
http://crockpotrecipes101.com