Mike, Author at Life's A Tomato

The Best Slow Cooker Recipes

I’m a huge fan of my slow cooker. Nothing boring here, just great easy recipes!

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

I’ve eaten my share of shrimp boils. But honestly, there’s no such thing as having had too many shrimp boils.

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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

This slow cooker Salisbury steak meat patties not only tasted fantastic they had the perfect texture.

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Slow Cooker Hearty Sausage and Beans Soup

This soup is packed with flavor, despite how simple it is to make.

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Slow Cooker Cubed Steaks with Gravy

Comfort food at its best!

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Slow Cooker Kielbasa Sauerkraut and Potato Soup

You can leave out the caraway seeds if they aren't your favorite.

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Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Incredibly delicious comfort food!

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Slow Cooker New England Clam Chowder

This slow cooker New England clam chowder was much. much better than I ever expected.

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Slow Cooker Down-Home Chili Dogs

Slow cooker down-home chili dogs are perfect for those lovers of sloppy, dripping, great dogs.

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Slow Cooker Ranch Corn Chips

Packed with Ranch flavor, you can't beat this simple snack recipe.

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Slow Cooker Kids’ Sloppy Joe

I like to keep these simple, like I remember as a kid.

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Slow Cooker Meat Lovers Chili

Three meats to satisfy any carnivore’s desires. The perfect combination of spices and heat. This is the perfect chili for a cold day.

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Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Perfect on a cold day, this soup is packed with fantastic onion flavor.

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Slow Cooker Beans ‘n Wieners

When I was a kid bean n’ wieners were one of my favorites. Here I am many years later and well, nothing much has changed because I still love them.

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Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

Yummy meatballs in a flavorful sauce, with the pasta already mixed in. It really doesn’t get any easier.

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Slow Cooker Holiday Green Bean Casserole

We’ve all had it. The traditional holiday green bean casserole. Well, scrap that and move on to this slow cooker holiday green bean casserole. Same idea, but oh, so much better.

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Slow Cooker Party Shrimp

This is absolutely the easiest way to cook up a big batch of shrimp for a party.

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Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

It was a cold day. The kind of day that screams stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. These slow cooker stuffed cabbage rolls hit the spot and then some.

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Slow Cooker Chopped Corned Beef Reuben

There’s nothing fancy about this Reuben. It’s your standard fare. Slow-cooked corned beef, tender, and then chopped. Mixed in with well-rinsed and drained kraut. Easy dressing, cheese, and rye. Done.

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Slow Cooker Delta Sausage

Smoked sausage is great in this slow cooker Delta sausage dish, but if you find Andouille sausage, use it instead. It’ll add even more flavor to an already delicious meal.

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Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Beef and Bean Burritos with Red Chile Chimayo

We were in Cincinnati for the weekend, visiting our favorite foodie destination, Jungle Jim’s, when we decided to stop at a Mexican restaurant for dinner. That meal got me thinking… boy, I haven’t made a decent Mexican dish at home in a long time. Time to remedy that! So as soon as we got home I made some beef and bean burritos with red chile chimayo. And boy, was I ever happy that I did because my Mexican-food-inspired desires were more than satisfied!

The Sauce Is Incredible

The real start of the beef and bean burritos with red chile chimayo is the red chile chimayo. That’s the sauce that goes over the burritos after they have been lightly fried in oil.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff. It’s a chili powder-infused sauce that has hints of garlic, cumin, onion and oregano. It has an amazing flavor that makes the burritos really something special. I would not hesitate to double the recipe for the chimayo. I would also be more than happy to use it in other dishes.

Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater, Kitchen Mandoline Vegetable Slicer with 3 Interchangeable Blades, Easy to Clean Rotary Grater Slicer for Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts

Also try my beef and bean burritos!

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5 from 1 vote

Beef and Bean Burritos with Red Chile Chimayo

Incredibly tasty and very easy to prepare, these burritos are amazing!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword burrito

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 494kcal

Equipment

skillet

Ingredients

For the beef and bean burritos

1 pound ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
16 ounces refried beans
6 large flour tortillas
1 ½ cups Mexican rice cooked
1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For serving

cilantro chopped
Mexican cheese blend shredded
black olives sliced
sour cream
salsa
avocado seeded, skinned, sliced

For the red chile chimayo

½ cup chile powder
2 ½ cups chicken broth divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small white onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

For the beef and bean burritos

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Crumble in the ground beef.
Stir in the taco seasoning.
Cook until the beef is nearly done.
Reduce meat to low and add the beans. Stir.
Place the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate.
Cover with a slightly damp paper towel.
Microwave for 30 seconds.
Divide the ground beef mixture between the tortillas. Add the rice and cheese to each.
Roll up the tortillas into burritos.
Wipe out the skillet you used to brown the beef.
Add the oil and return the heat to medium-high.
Working in batches of two, add the burritos to the oil and heat until brown. Turn the burritos often to brown on all sides.
Remove to plates for serving, topping with the chimayo and any desired toppings.

For the red chile chimayo

Add the chile powder to a medium bowl and whisk in 1 cup of the chicken broth. Whisk until there are no longer any lumps.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.
Add the cumin, oregano, and cinnamon. Cook while stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Add the chile powder and broth mixture to the skillet and stir.
Bring the mixture to a simmer but do not boil.
Season with the salt.
Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and let simmer for 20-30 minutes (or longer) until the sauce is the consistency you want.
Keep warm until ready to use.

Notes

Make extra sauce and use it on tacos!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

The Best Deep-Fryer Recipes

I love deep-fried food. Maybe a little too much! But that’s ok, I consider them a treat so I make sure to always use my deep-fryer for something special! These are my favorite deep-fryer dishes to make at home.

Let’s get to the list!

Copycat Long John Silver’s Fish-and-Chips

Now I can make my own copycat Long John Silver’s fish and chips. And if I want extra crunchies I just add a few drops of batter to the oil and in seconds… extra crunchies!

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Turkey and Stuffing Egg Rolls

When I came across this idea for making egg rolls packed with turkey and stuffing there was no way that I was going to wait until I had Thanksgiving leftovers to make them.

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Nashville Hot Chicken

There’s good and then there’s great. Nothing beats Nashville hot chicken when it comes to great fried chicken. The best, light, crunchy coating that you can imagine. Tender, moist chicken. And of course, heat. Plenty of heat. I could make and eat Nashville hot chicken any day of the week.

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Homemade Onion Rings

I’m addicted to onion rings. And I’m picky about them. I’m picking about the coating. It has to be light and crunchy and it has to stick to every inch of the onion. And I’m picky about the onion. Each bite has to be ‘clean’.

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Copycat Long John Silver’s Chicken Planks

Fried in the same great crunchy batter as the fish planks, chicken planks were just as addicting as the fish. And oddly (for me as a kid), just as good with malt vinegar sprinkled on them.

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Spicy Red Onion Rings

Oh, all those years spent eating (and enjoying!) onion rings made from white or sweet onions. Not wasted years, but years of missed opportunities of eating spicy red onion rings.

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Copycat Long John Silver’s Hush Puppies

I made the fish. I made the fries. And I made the chicken planks. And now, I’ve made the hush puppies. They have the perfect texture and the perfect corn flavor.

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Spicy Texan Onion Rings

Along came these spicy Texan onion rings and every last bit of self-control I might have had was gone in an instant. I seriously do not remember what else we had for dinner the night I made these. Could’ve been filet mignon. Doesn’t matter. The rings were the star.

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Copycat Captain D’s Batter Dipped Fish

I’m a big fan of battered fried fish. Add in some fries, a side of tartar sauce, and give me a bottle of malt vinegar and I’m one happy guy. This copycat of Captain D’s batter dipped fish checks all my boxes.

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Copycat Culver’s Cheese Curds

Oh my goodness. There should be a big ‘danger’ sign next to these copycat Culver’s cheese curds. Danger because you’re going to want to eat them all.

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Cajun Fried Shrimp

I’ve never had wings or shrimp that I didn’t absolutely love. Like these Cajun fried shrimp. Lightly crunchy. Stick-to-the-shrimp batter. A little heat. Perfectly cooked.

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Beer Battered Shrimp and Fries

“I’ll have the beer battered shrimp and fries and… a side salad.” No. No one has ever said that. This isn’t a salad-on-the-side kind of dish. It’s seriously battered, deep-fried decadence, from start to finish.

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Bacon and Blue Cheese French Fries

There are few things as dangerous as a plate of bacon and blue cheese French fries.

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Cajun Fried Chicken Sandwich

This Cajun fried chicken sandwich is absolutely packed with flavor. The chicken is oh-my tender, juicy and even has just a bit of a kick.

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Garlic Parmesan Pizza Rolls

Delicious little bites that disappear in no time!

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Copycat Outback Steakhouse Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp

The dipping sauce is addicting. You might want to double the amounts.

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Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Forget those wimpy fast-food chicken sandwiches.

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Honey Hot Fried Shrimp

Some of the best shrimp you'll ever have.

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T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Pizza Smash Burgers

It’s gonna be messy. Juices are gonna run down your forearm. Pizza sauce too. Cheese is gonna drip onto your lap. All your favorite pizza flavors on a convenient grilled burger. No boring burger here. Pizza smash burgers are a wonderful way to change up your burger routine. The big thin patties are perfect for loading up the toppings so go big and enjoy!

You can go ‘loaded’ or ‘lightly loaded’ with these pizza smash burgers. I tried them both ways and both were great. More pepperoni. More pepperoncini. More cheese. Or not.

You can also add your other favorite pizza toppings, such as mushrooms or olives. Go crazy with it!

The equipment

Here’s the equipment I use. You can get by using two cast iron skillets. Use a larger skillet for cooking the burgers, and a smaller one to smash the burgers and keep them flat. Since I’m a cooking gadget collector, I prefer to use a few more tools.

The griddle

First, a griddle. You can buy griddles that sit on top of your grill grates or ones that replace them. Just about every grill I have has a griddle on it. I use them for a lot of things, not just smash burgers. You want one that can be placed over the hottest part of your grill so it gets screaming hot.

Lodge LDP3 Cast Iron Rectangular Reversible Grill/Griddle, 9.5-inch x 16.75-inch, Black

A burger press

Next, you need a burger press. You can use a heavy cast iron skillet, like I mentioned. Or get a burger press. For easy cleanup I wrap mine in foil first. When I’m done, just peel off the foil and toss. Super easy. Get a press that’s at least big enough to cover two burgers. You only smash one at a time, but if you want to keep them flat, you want to rest the press on top so bigger (and heavier) is better. Plus I’ve found that a bigger, heavier press tends to stay on the burgers whereas a smaller, lighter one is hard to keep centered on the burgers, specially if you have a bunch of them cooking at once.

Cuisinart CGPR-221 Cast Iron Grill Press (Wood Handle), Weighs 2.1-pounds

A dome

Next up, a dome. While not 100% required, it does speed the time it takes to melt the cheese and it does it in a nice even fashion. In my opinion you don’t really need one if you’re using a super melty cheese, such as American, but for thicker slices like say a deli pepper jack, you want the cheese to melt before you over-cook the burger and that’s where a dome comes in handy.

Cuisinart CMD-108 Melting Dome, 9″,Stainless steel

Cleaning time!

Lastly, you need something to clean your griddle. I like to clean mine when I’m done cooking, but you can do it at the start instead. I use one of these pad holders with a griddle cleaning pad. Then I add a bit of water to my griddle then use the pad (connected to the holder) to scrub off any big chunks and get up some of the grease. I don’t go crazy with it, I always heat the heck out of my griddle before cooking, but I get the worst. The long arm on the pad holder makes it perfect for scrubbing a hot griddle, too.

3M Scotch-Brite Multi-Purpose Pad Holder 405-R, 4.7 in x 2.8 in x 16 in, 1/Case

3M Scotch-Brite Griddle Cleaning, Quick Clean Heavy Duty Scour Pad, 4 in x 5.25 in, 6 Pads/Pack, For Baked On Food and Cooking Oils, Use on Hot or Cool Griddle

Also try my taco smash burgers!

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Pizza Smash Burgers

All your favorite pizza flavors… on a burger!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword pizza, smash burgers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 500kcal