1 (3 to 3-1/2 pound) pork tenderloin roast
2 (18 ounces each) bottles barbecue sauce (your choice)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1. Place tenderloin roast in a 5-quart slow cooker; cover and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours or until tender.

2. Remove roast to a platter; discard juices in slow cooker. Using 2 forks, shred the tenderloin roast; return to the slow cooker.

3. Stir the barbecue sauce into the shredded pork; add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Cover and cook on Low 1 to 2 hours.

4. Serve on your favorite sandwich buns. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Emily

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling (you could substitute cherry pie filling, if desired)
1 (18-1/4 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1. Spread the pie filling in bottom of a 1-1/2-quart slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry cake mix and melted butter until crumbly; sprinkle over the pie filling. Sprinkle nuts over the top.

3. Cover; cook on Low for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Serve hot from the slow cooker in bowls. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired. Makes 10 servings.

Emily

1-3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons baking cocoa, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate or butterscotch chips
1-3/4 cups boiling water
Vanilla ice cream, (optional)

1. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the brown sugar, the flour, 3 tablespoons of the baking cocoa, the baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In a separate medium bowl, combine the milk, butter and vanilla; stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Spread evenly into a 3-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with the chips.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining brown sugar and baking cocoa; stir in the boiling water until blended. Pour over the 3. batter in the slow cooker (DO NOT STIR).

4. Cover and cook on High for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Emily

2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture; mix well. Shape into a round loaf.

2. Cut three 20-in. x 3-in. strips of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Crisscross the strips so they resemble the spokes of a wheel. Place meat loaf in the center; pull the strips up and bend the edges to form handles. Grasp the foil handles to transfer loaf to a 3-qt. slow cooker. (Leave the foil in during cooking time.)

3. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar and hot sauce; pour over meat loaf during the last hour of cooking. Let stand for 10 minutes. Use foil strips to lift loaf out of slow cooker. Makes 8 servings.

Emily

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon concentrate
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (13 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1 tablespoon corn starch
3 tablespoons water

1. In a large heavy skillet, brown the chicken in the oil over medium-high heat until golden on both sides. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, combine the wine, lemon juice, bouillon, thyme, garlic and pepper; blend well. Pour mixture over chicken; place artichokes on top. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours.

3. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and artichoke hearts. In a small bowl, combine the corn starch and water; stir into liquid in slow cooker; cook until slightly thickened. Return chicken and artichoke hearts to slow cooker and stir into the sauce. Makes 4 servings, each with 7 grams of usable carbohydrates.

* You may use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts, if desired.

You can serve this just as it is or over rice or pasta. Carbohydrate count will be higher if using rice or pasta.

Emily

4 large all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8ths
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces processed cheese spread, (Velveeta), cubed
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
6 boneless pork loin chops

1. Place potatoes and onion in bottom of a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, microwave the cheese and milk until cheese is melted and mixture is fairly smooth. Stir in the soup, sour cream, pepper, garlic powder and ground cumin. Pour 1/2 the cheese mixture over the potatoes in slow cooker.

3. Place pork chops on top; pour the remaining 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the pork chops.

4. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours or until the potatoes and chops are tender. Makes 6 servings.

Emily

1/2 pound (8 ounces) bulk pork sausage
1 pound pork tenderloin, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 (15-1/2 oz each) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed & drained
1 (15-1/2 oz) can chili hot beans, undrained
2 (14 oz each) cans chicken broth
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage and cubed pork tenderloin until the meat is no longer pink; transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker.

2. Stir all the remaining ingredients, except the cheese, into the meat mixture in slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on high 5 to 5-1/2 hours or on low 8 hours, or until pork is tender.

4. Sprinkle individual servings with the cheese. Makes 8 servings.

Emily

6 cups Jonathon or Granny Smith apples, peeled & sliced thick
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional

1. Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray.

2. Mix all the ingredients together in prepared slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Emily

1-1/4 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage links
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 medium onion, cut into wedges & separated
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the sausages until meat is no longer pink; drain. Cut the cooked sausages into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker.

Add the vegetables and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 hours or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the bread crumbs. Spoon into individual serving bowls; sprinkle each serving with Pepper Jack cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Emily

A delightfully different soup that will surprise your taste buds by how good it really is!!

12 cups fat-free chicken broth
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat removed & cut up
1 (4.5 oz) package cheddar broccoli rice & sauce mix
1 (14.5 oz) can cut asparagus spears
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves

Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with non-fat cooking spray. In the slow cooker, combine the broth chicken breasts, rice & sauce mix, asparagus, parsley flakes, salt, pepper and bay leaves.

Cover and cook on Low for 9 hours or on High for 4-1/2 to 5 hours. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Makes 20 (1 cup) servings.