be prepared for tons of crock pot recipes in the coming months.

gotta love my crock pot.  and its quite a coincidence that my mom bought me a new, bigger crock pot this year for xmas. 

i've heard great things about this super simple recipe so i figured i'd give it a try.  there are 5 ingredients. 

pepperoncini pot roast

ingredients:

-3-5 lb beef/chuck roast
-one 16oz jar of pepperoncinis, with juice
-garlic powder
-salt
-pepper

instructions:

-place roast in crock pot.  sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  pour entire jar with juice of pepperoncinis on top.  cook on low for 8-10 hours or until done


i put the meat and peppers on some fresh kaiser rolls from the grocery store bakery and melt a piece of provolone on top.  bam, done. its definitely got a little kick to it but its really yummy!! perfect meal to try and clear up our sinuses in this house!

 

next up.
i made this corn and black bean salad the other day because i thought makena (worlds pickiest eater) might like it. she was being a stinker and refused to try it but i'm so glad i made it. its so good!! and healthy! i changed the recipe a little to cater to makena's needs but next time i would probably add some green onion and the cayenne pepper.  you can throw the mixture in a taco/burrito, scoop up with tortilla chips or just eat it with a spoon like i did for lunch today. 

Black Bean and Corn Salad

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped  (i used half of a cucumber, chopped instead and it was amazing)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) (this sounds like way too much, i used maybe 1/8 cup)  

instructions: 

- place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.
- in a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.

picture was taken before i added cilantro, woops