This week, I’m offering two of my favorite meals, adapted for the crock pot lifestyle. If it is a lifestyle… either way, they’re delicious!

I can never get enough stuffed peppers, or spanish rice. The jalapeno popper stuffed chicken is new, but I’ve heard it’s fabulous.

Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

3 lg. bell peppers
1/2 lb ground beef, pork or poultry, browned
1/2 c onion, chopped
1/2 sm can diced tomatoes (398ml/14oz)
1 c cooked basmati or other long grain rice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp hot chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 c shredded sharp or TexMex cheese

Directions

Remove the top from each pepper, remove the seeds and membranes. In a bowl, mix the beef, onion, rice, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and 3/4 of the cheese well. Stuff each pepper as full as possible.

In the bottom of your crock pot, spread the other half can of tomatoes and any remaining stuffing. Place the stuffed peppers on top, cover and cook on low for six hours, or high for four hours. Fifteen minutes before serving, sprinkle with remaining cheese and cover.

Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Serves 3, can be doubled or quadrupled easily.

Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Chicken & Spanish Rice

Ingredients

For the chicken:

4 chicken breasts, rinsed
1/2 c Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 c Philadelphia Herb & Garlic cream cheese
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
3 jalapenos, seeds & membranes removed, minced
1/4 c seasoned breadcrumbs
8 slices peppered bacon

For the rice:

2 cups uncooked basmati, or long grain brown rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 lg can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 med onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Directions

Place all rice ingredients into a greased crock pot, give a little stir. Cook on high for two hours.

After an hour, pre-heat the oven to 350*, then mix together the cream cheeses, cumin, chilli powder, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno in a bowl. Pour breadcrumbs into a container large enough to roll the stuffed breasts in. Using a very sharp knife, carefully slice into the thicker part of each breast, and pull to butterfly. Do NOT cut all the way through! Evenly distribute the cream cheese/jalapeno mixture between the four breasts, and close each. Carefully roll in the breadcrumbs, then wrap with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until they’ve started to brown, but they will not be cooked all the way through. While they cook, I suggest prepping a green salad to go with dinner.

When the two hours for the rice is up, add the chicken to the crock pot, and submerge if possible, or simply roll them carefully, so all sides are dampended. Cover, and continue cooking on high for another two hours. Check the chicken and rice at that time. If they are done, serve; if not, cook another 30 minutes and check again.

Enjoy!

’til next week…
<3 JL