A Surprise Delight- Paleo Slow Cooker Sausage, Pepper & Onions

School is back in! (Enter: Hallelujah chorus)

And with that starting back up this week, I wanted to focus on easy,  simple, but delicious and healthy dinners. So, after scouring my cookbooks, Google and Pinterest, I made up a meal plan for a week's worth of dinners. 

All starring, the ever-amazing, crock pot (or slow cooker)!  

Let's face it. My life runs just a little bit smoother when I meal plan, and using the crock pot on top of that makes it a little more simple. Which I need with a husband and three children to look after! 

I made two lists. One list was the seven meals that I'd be making every day. Complete with the website or cookbook and page number that I found the recipe so I could go back and look up when it was time to put that meal together. 

The second list was my grocery list. 

And then I was ready to go! With list number two in hand, I bought all my groceries and headed back home to start meal number one. 

Last night was meal two and it was a new one for us. My husband is working nights right now (gotta love shift work) and I was unsure if my picky children were even going to eat it, but I was shocked and thrilled when they all loved it! My three year old ate up her plate and asked for more. My extremely picky five year old ate without complaint...or gagging. And my eleven year old gobbled up his plate with hardly a breath between bites. And I clearly will need to double the recipe next time I make it. It was gone in a flash!

This meal is a keeper and so I thought I'd share it with you guys as well! Its healthy, grain-free, and super yummy!

 Paleo Slow Cooker Sausage, Pepper & Onions

                                

Ingredients: 

• 1 12-16 ounce package of sausage (I used Italian Style sausage) 
• 1 red, green & yellow bell pepper 
• 1 small yellow onion 
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes 
• 4-6 garlic cloves minced 
• Italian Seasoning 
• salt and pepper  

Directions: Cook on LOW in slow cooker for 8 hours

This meal can easily be freezer for cooking at a later time as well. Just combine all the ingredients in a ziplock and freeze. When it comes time to cook, no thaw is needed. 

Also, while I didn't serve it with anything else, you could easily serve this over rice as well. 

Easy peasy.

Let me know if you decide to try it out! Hope you enjoy!

  

Crock Pot Brisket? Um..Yes, please!

Hickory Smoked Brisket

Since I just shared my favorite turkey meatloaf recipe, I thought, why not share another family favorite recipe?

I had no clue just how much of a hit this one would be when I made it for the first time. My family drooled over it. My oldest son requests this meal often. And with how easy it is to put together, I always oblige! 

Best part? You make it in the crock pot! 

It started with a cookbook

An awesome cookbook, at that. A year or so ago, I stumbled across this cookbook. Every recipe in it is done in a slow cooker..or crock pot. I bought it and it is amazing! It has everything from appetizers all the way to desserts and drinks. You should check it out. If you love cooking with a slow cooker, this is for you. They're all easy to make and gluten-free! Not to mention, delicious.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Hickory Smoked Brisket Recipe

Ingredients:

3 to 4 pounds beef brisket, or chuck roast (I always buy the chuck roast)

½ tablespoon celery salt

½ tablespoon garlic powder

½ tea black pepper

¼ cup A-1 steak sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons hickory liquid smoke

Directions:

In a 4-qt slow cooker, put the meat into the stoneware and rub the spices on all sides. Add the A-1 sauce and liquid smoke. (I rub this in as well) Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours. However, low is better. 

Your house will smell SO good! And your mouth will thank you when you eat it! I always make loaded red mashed potatos to accompany this. And usually green beans, as well. 

And there you have it! Another recipe that I hope you all try out! You have to let me know what you think! It literally takes me about 5 minutes, if that, to throw this together. The longest part is making the mashed potatoes and green beans, come dinner time. 

Hmm..I may have to make this for dinner tomorrow!