Finger Lickin' Good, Sticky Slow Cooker Drumsticks

This recipe is sooo good and incredibly easy!  Spicy, sweet and sticky chicken legs that have been slow cooking for hours for fall of the bone, tender goodness that basically just melt in your mouth!  This is truly a dish that the whole family will enjoy eating together.  I made this during a very hot spell we had last week whenever I wanted a grilled chicken taste without having to go outside in the heat and sit by a hot grill.    

You may ask, what's the crumpled foil for?  Well, it keeps the drumsticks more crispy and "dry-rubbed", rather than the usual braised crock pot meat.  (I love braised, but maybe not for this recipe.)  I heard about this trick, and I decided to try it here for the first time.  It worked out great!  They had more of the look and taste of bbq or smoked chicken legs.  I made these with some baby potatoes that I also put in the crock pot and delicious molasses baked beans--my mouth is watering as I speak--they are that good!

For an easy family meal, please try these finger lickin' good, crock pot drumsticks and don't forget to wash it down with some fresh lemonade or sweet tea! 

Sticky Slow Cooker Drumsticks

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. paprika

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

4 lbs. chicken drumsticks, skinned if desired

(I skinned mine)

1/2 water

1/2 c. chicken broth or stock

(Or use can just use water if you don't have this on hand.)

foil for crumpling up in crockpot

Mix the spice ingredients together in a small bowl.

Rub into the chicken legs.

Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat.  When hot, place the chicken in the skillet to sear on all sides, for a crispy crust.   You don't want to cook it through, just brown the meat.

Place the foil in the bottom of your crock pot.  Pour the water and chicken broth (or like I said, just water if that's all you have) in the bottom of the crock pot, underneath the foil.  This will allow more steam to come up and keep the chicken moist.

Place the chicken legs on the foil.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until very tender.
 (Mine were just right after about about 7.)

Serve with additional bbq sauce if you like.
Eat and enjoy!


I'm linking up with:

Pot Roast with Carrots & Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans

     What's more comforting than to come home from work or church to find a complete, ready-to-eat pot roast dinner with delicious carrots and potatoes?!  Pot roast is one of those classic meals that have been around for decades and can be made a hundred different scrumptious ways!  I love making mine in a crock pot so that the meat gets incredibly tender and the vegetables drink in all the drippings and seasonings.  YUM!

     This is a delicious Paula Dean recipe that I tried for the first time.  The only changes I made was that I used a slightly tougher eye of round roast instead of the more succulent (and quite fatty) chuck roast.  The eye of round was on sale at the grocery, and since I slow cook mine anyways I knew it would get nice and tender...and it did!  Also, I didn't have any wine like it calls for, so I added more water.  You could also add beef broth if you have it.  Thirdly, I like to add potatoes and carrots to all my beef roast recipes and that's what I did.  The gravy that come from the drippings and cream of mushroom soup (among other good  things) made the veggies so flavorful!  I used whole baby carrots and  baby Yukon gold potatoes cut in quarters, but you can use whatever kind you have on hand.  I love using leftovers for beef stew or shred it and add with more sauteed onions, peppers and cheese for a Philly cheese steak sandwich.

Yes this is another pot roast recipe, but why not give a new twist on an old meal and get excited about pot roast again!  I served it up with my roasted French green beans.  (Fresh green beans, kosher salt, and pepper tossed in a little olive oil in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.) These are really tasty and a perfect vegetable that's healthy and adds color to the plate!  So get you crock pot back out, and surprise yourself with how incredibly good and easy this Slow Cooked Pot Roast what Carrots and Potatoes really is!

Pot Roast
1 (3-4 lb.) Boneless chuck roast
1 tsp. House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black pepper
2 Tbsp. Canola oil
1 c. Thinly sliced onion
3 Cloves garlic crushed
2 Bay leaves
1 (10 3/4 oz.) Can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup Red wine
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, low sodium
1 Tbsp. Beef bouillon granules or 1cube
3/4 cup Water


Preheat oven to 350 degrees if you are using the oven.  If using a crock pot, like me, set on low.  Add house seasoning, salt and pepper to a small bowl.  Rub seasoning into the roast on both sides.  Heat oil in a large (preferably) cast iron skillet and brown the roast, searing on both sides.  Place the meat in the crock pot.  Add the onions and garlic in the skillet for just a minute or 2 to absorb all the leftover roast juice.  Place into the crock pot and on the roast and add bay leaves.

(This is whenever I add the carrots and cut up potatoes into the crock pot.)

Combine the mushroom soup, wine, Worcestershire sauce and beef bouillon into a bowl.  Pour over the roast and add water.

Cover and keep on low in the crock pot for 8 hours.  If baking in the oven, cover pan with foil and bake for 3- 3 1/2 hours. Either way, cook until the meat is very tender.

Remove and discard bay leaves.

Take out of the pot, cover in foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or shredding.  Serve with the vegetables on a platter and enjoy!


House Seasoning
 1 c. salt
1/4 c. black pepper
1/4 c. garlic powder

Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Slow-Cooked Apple Cider Pork Medallions

Hello! As my first post, I thought I would share the tasty and relatively thrown together dinner I prepared tonight. It turned out just yummy! I had some pork loin that I knew I needed to use very soon before it was too late, and I didn't have much time to prepare before going into work. So with the help of my trusty crock pot (thanks, Mom, for the wedding gift!) here's what I came up with. I love the classic combo of pork and apples, and with that made my Slow-Cooked Apple Cider Pork Medallions. It's easy and sure to please.

Sear your pork over med-high heat in Olive Oil or Canola (I use Olive) for just a couple minutes per side. Season nicely with salt and pepper. You want to give the meat a nice brown crust. While that is going, get out Apple Cider, Beef Boullion Cube, Ground Dry Mustard, half of a Shallot, a couple of Yellow Potatoes (New Potatoes would work as well) and a Gala Apple.

Keep in mind I am preparing this for just my husband and I, so use as much as you need. I usually don't precisely measure any of my own recipes, a tip I inherited from Mom.

Once the Pork is seared, place it into a crock pot that is already set to LOW. In a separate bowl, pour a bit of the Cider, couple shakes of the Mustard and Salt and Pepper to stir together before pouring over the meat. Once that is incorporated, pour the mixture over the Pork and add more Cider till it's just covering the meat. Add the Beef Boullion Cube, diced Potatoes and Apple, and minced Shallot. Work this down into the cider and pork a bit and put the lid back on.

I let mine cook for about 4 1/2 hrs. Keep in mind, I had only about 6 small pork loins, 2 potatoes, and 1 apple. More food will probably require a bit more time.

After that time, I brought some of the cidery-broth to a boil in a small sauce pan and added a cornstarch and water mixture to thicken. It begins to bubble and create a delicious gravy.

Plate the pork with potatoes and apples and then pour some of your cider gravy over it all.

It was so mouth watering good! The pork was so tender I literally just ate it with a fork...no knife at all! The combination of the pork and apples especially in the fall is so good, and with the buttery golden potatoes and shallot, O! You will love this and so will your family. It would be so good with homemade dinner rolls or a toasty bread to sop up the gravy. They'll never know you didn't slave away in the kitchen over this beautiful dish!

Grocery List:

Pork Loin Chops

Gala Apple

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Shallot

Apple Cider

1 Beef Boullion Cube

Dry Mustard

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Cornstarch