Cook up some fun in your Crock Pot

What You Need

• 1 - 1 ½ pound ground beef (sub pinto beans, corn, red bell peppers, and sweet potatoes for a
  vegetarian chili)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (540ml/19oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons (49g) tomato paste
• 1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 - 2 tablespoons (8g - 16g) chili powder (depends on your chili powder’s spiciness and
  preference)
• 1 tablespoon (6g) cumin seed, ground
• 1 teaspoon (1g) dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar (optional)
• Brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper to taste

How to Make It

1. Brown the ground beef in a pan on medium heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Once browned, drain the meat.
2. Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano to the pan. Saute for about 5 min. until spices smell fragrant. Stir frequently.
3. Add to crock pot, then stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and beans.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Season to taste with brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar.

What You Need

• 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup bbq sauce
• ¼ cup water or chicken broth
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 burger buns for serving

How to Make It

1. Add ketchup, bbq sauce, water, worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, cumin and cayenne pepper to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Place chicken thighs on top and flip over to coat the chicken thighs with the sauce. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 hours.
3. Once done, shred chicken and place back in the slow cooker and stir with the sauce. Serve immediately or turn slow cooker to the warm setting and serve later.

What You Need

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)
• 2 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1 cup of milk

How to Make It

1. Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes then drain. You don’t want to overcook this! Pasta will still be a bit hard.
2. Mix butter and cheese over medium high heat in a saucepan. Stir until it melts.
3. In your crock pot, combine the cheese mixture, sour cream, soup, and milk. Add drained macaroni. Stir to combine.
4. Cook in crock pot for 2 hours on low, stirring occasionally. Do not cook too long or the noodles will be mushy!
5. Treat yourself to a bowl of delicious comfort food.

What You Need

• 1 cup of spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 2 bricks of cream cheese (thawed to room temperature)
• 2 tbsp dill weed
• 1 cup grated cheese of your choice
• 2 cloves of garlic

How to Make It

1. Thaw cream cheese to room temperature.
2. Cook spinach.
3. Drain spinach.
4. Peel and chop garlic.
5. Combine spinach, mayo, cream cheese, dill weed, grated cheese, and garlic in a mixing bowl.
6. Mix until well combined and no lumps.
7. Transfer to crock pot and set to low heat.
8. Stir regularly. Dip is finished when hot all the way through.
9. Serve with pita chips, tortillas, bread, or crackers!

Want to bake it instead? Put it in a baking dish, and bake it in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.