The Cooking Family

Slow Cooker Bacon Barbecue Meatballs

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Slow Cooker Bacon Barbecue Meatballs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 10 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Keyword: appetizer, meatballs
Servings: 4
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground beef (85% works best)
  • 2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 1/2 tsp Montreal Steak seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 18 oz barbecue sauce
Instructions

  1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

  2. Cook your bacon and break into crumbs.

  3. In a large bowl, mix beef, bacon, bread crumbs, onion, egg, milk, honey, steak seasoning, and salt.

  4. Shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs (about 24). Add meatballs to slow cooker.

  5. Add barbecue sauce, turning gently to coat.

  6. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until meatballs are fully cooked (165 degrees).

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Homemade Oven Baked French Fries

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Homemade Oven Baked French Fries
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Quick, easy and tasty french fries – a great healthy alternative to fast food fries and taste better too!

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Walter
Ingredients
  • 6 medium size potatoes, washed
  • 1 Tbsp seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (can use olive oil as well)
  • 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • cooking spray
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Wash and slice potatoes into strips using a slicer.

  3. Place potatoes and vegetable oil in a gallon size ziplock bag and shake well.

  4. Add seasoned salt, pepper and parmesan cheese into bag and shake well.

  5. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

  6. Spread out fries on tray and cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Test by pushing down on the fries, if they smoosh then they are done. Thicker fries may need to cook longer.

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Crockpot Barbecue Pulled Chicken

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Crockpot Barbecue Pulled Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 10 mins
 

Here’s an easy and tasty crockpot recipe that you can start earlier in the day and have ready to go for dinner.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 2 cups barbecue sauce (my favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory & Brown Sugar)
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (hickory flavor)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions

  1. Mix barbecue sauce and brown sugar in your crockpot.

  2. Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke and stir.

  3. Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder and crushed red pepper and stir.

  4. Add chicken on top of sauce mixture. Turn the chicken so that the sauce covers both sides of the chicken.

  5. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when it is easily shredded with a pair of forks.

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Spicy Chicken Breast

Spicy Chicken Breast
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Spicy Chicken Breast
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3/8 tsp salt
  • barbecue sauce
Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler to high.

  2. Mix spices in small bowl.

  3. Rub spices onto chicken breasts.

  4. Cover baking tray with aluminum foil.

  5. Add chicken to tray.

  6. Broil for 6 minutes, turn the chicken over and broil for 6 more minutes until done. Thermometer will read 165 degrees for completely cooked chicken.

  7. Add barbecue sauce to top and broil until sticky (1-2 minutes).

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Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

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Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Resting time
10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • Pecan Wood Chips (for smoker)
  • 5 lb pork loin, trimmed
  • 1 pkg bacon (16 oz)
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 Tbsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Instructions

  1. Soak wood chips for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Preheat smoker to 225 to 250 degrees. Add soaked pecan wood chips.

  3. Mix brown sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and red pepper.

  4. Cover all sides of the pork loin with the spice mixture.

  5. Wrap bacon entirely around your pork loin.

  6. Place pork loin in smoker. Cook with smoker closed until a meat thermometer in the thickest portion reads 145 degrees, approximately 2 hours.

  7. Remove from smoker and wait 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the sauce of your choice.

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Chicken Fajita Pasta

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Chicken Fajita Pasta
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chicken, fajita, pasta
Servings: 4
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 3 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 bell pepper, green or red, diced
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 6 cups milk
  • 4 cups penne pasta
  • 2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
Instructions

  1. Cut onion and peppers and place in small bowl.

  2. Cut chicken into strips. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

  3. Heat oil in large pot over high heat.

  4. Add chicken and cook until no pink is visible, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken.

  5. Add bell pepper and onion. Green peppers give a more traditional taste, while red are sweeter. You can use either for this recipe. Cook until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.

  6. Return the chicken to the pot and add chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder, stirring until evenly coated, about 30 seconds.

  7. Add the milk and penne, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

  8. Cook for about 20 minutes until pasta is fully cooked and the milk has reduced to a thick sauce that coats the pasta.

  9. Add shredded cheese and mix until melted.

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Pumpkin Bread

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Pumpkin Bread
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Resting Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

Here's a moist and tasty bread that tastes and smells like pumpkin pie. Makes two loaves.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 15 oz can of pumpkin
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

  2. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Put aside.

  3. In large bowl, mix egg, butter and sugar. Stir well.

  4. Add pumpkin to large bowl and mix.

  5. Add flour mix to large bowl, stirring while adding.

  6. Spray two bread pans. Add mix evenly to both pans.

  7. Cook for 65-75 minutes, until toothpick comes out dry.

  8. Cool in pans on cooling rack for 10 minutes.

  9. Remove from pans and cool on cooling rack for at least 10 minutes.

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Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

Smoked roast served with our smoked macaroni and cheese.
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Smoked Macaroni and Cheese
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
 

Want to use your smoker for something other than turkey, well here's a macaroni and cheese recipe you cook in your smoker! Comes out creamy and flavorful. We've been told it's the best macaroni and cheese people have ever had and it's frequently requested.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Tracy Wimberly
Ingredients
  • pecan, hickory or mesquite smoking chips
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
  • 1 cup shredded colby/moterey jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 pound cooked elbow macaroni (according to package)
Instructions

  1. Soak smoking chips.

  2. Preheat smoker to 225 degrees. Add smoking chips.

  3. Prepare macaroni according to instructions on the package.

  4. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in large saucepan. Stir frequently.

  5. Whisk in the flour, continue to whisk for about one minute until the flour is incorporated. Stir frequently.

  6. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for five minutes until thickened. Stir frequently. Remove from heat.

  7. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese, colby/monterey jack cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts.

  8. Stir in salt, pepper and cooked macaroni.

  9. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in saucepan mixture. Cover top with remaining cheddar cheese.

  10. Place pan in smoker and smoke for about one hour, until the cheese is bubbly.

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Smoked Turkey

We tried this smoked turkey last night. It was so delicious and inexpensive to do. There’s very few ingredients and it much easier to make than our normal turkey since this one we didn’t brine it.

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Smoked Turkey
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 10 mins
 

This is a very simple smoked turkey recipe, however it is flexible and you can make changes to it to suit your tastes. You could add apple on the inside or rub rosemary on the skin. Feel free to experiment with this and develop your favorite flavor.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 10 pound whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder (for skin)
  • 1 stick butter, melted (reserve half for outside of the turkey)
  • 1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1 12 oz. can cola-flavored soda (we use Coke)
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder (for inside the cavity)
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp pepper
  • 1 apple, quartered (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat smoker to 225 degrees.

  2. Melt your stick of butter.

  3. Rinse turkey under cold water, and pat dry.

  4. Mix the 1/4 tsp garlic powder, the seasoning salt and half of your melted butter. Place turkey in a disposable roasting pan. Use a basting brush to spread mixture over the outside of the turkey.

  5. Fill the turkey cavity with remaining butter, cola, onion, garlic powder, salt, and  pepper. Cover loosely with foil.

  6. Smoke at 225 degrees for 8 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees when measured in the thickest part of the thigh. Depending on the size of your turkey, you might want to check at 6 or 7 hours to make sure it doesn't overcook. Each smoker is slightly different. Baste the turkey every 2 hours with the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan.

  7. Save the remaining juices at the bottom of the roasting pan and use to make gravy.

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Taco Casserole

 

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Taco Casserole
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. 85% ground beef
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans
  • 1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (or any brand chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup (can use cream of mushroom if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (or Cheddar)
  • tortilla chips, crushed (but not too fine)
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
Instructions

  1. Mix your ground beef and onion in a skillet and cook until the meat is browned all the way through. Drain any excess grease.

  2. Add one can of semi-drained red kidney beans to the cooked meat/onion mixture. I just poured off the top liquid. Add a can of Rotel tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes). Mix together.

  3. Add your taco seasoning packet and cream of chicken soup (can use cream of mushroom if you prefer). Add your 1/2 cup of water and stir together.

  4. Simmer 5-10 minutes, until everything is combined and starts to thicken.

  5. Spray a 9x11 pan with cooking spray.

  6. Put crushed taco chips on the bottom.

  7. Add half of your meat mixture and top with half of your shredded cheese.

  8. Repeat layers (chips, meat, cheese).

  9. Cover with foil and cook in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or so, until top is bubbly.

  10. You can top individual servings with sour cream and whatever else you like, such as more crushed chips or green onion tops.

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