This week the world went back to school. I have no doubt there are some tired momma’s out there (and tired kids too!). Everyone is adjusting to new schedules, obligations & demands, and I’m willing to bet everyone is fresh out of energy by the time dinner rolls around.
While it’s still entirely too hot here in Texas for a full, hot, cooked meal (for the cooking & eating), I for one am tired of sandwiches. I do love me a sandwich, but between the steps we put in everyday, and everything we’ve sweat out, sandwiches just aren’t doing it for me right now.
This is the time of year where your crockpot becomes your best friend, or at least you can bust it out once a week & have enough leftovers to cover you for a few meals. Minimal prep, minimal dishes, lots of flavor & full, happy bellies.
This was one of the first “home cooked” meals I learned to make after Chris & I got married, and we still return to it for it’s simplicity or when we’re burned out on cooking or fast food. The ingredients are almost always in our pantry. If you aren’t comfortable in the kitchen, or cooking historically hasn’t been your thing, you should give this a try. It’s a 10/10 kitchen confidence booster.
Where this meal got it’s name is a lengthy story (here’s the short version) of a kid that more or less inhaled it and couldn’t get enough, I think his name was Colby, but Cubby’s stuck for some reason. It hits. the. spot. every. time. You can top it with shredded cheese, sour cream, corn bread, or maybe all three. You do you.
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RECIPE – Cubby’s Favorite
1-2 lbs ground beef, deer, pork or any combination of, browned
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can sliced potatoes
1 can sliced carrots
1 can pinto or ranch style beans
1 package of Ranch Dressing Seasoning
1 package of Taco Seasoning
Beef Broth to cover all ingredients, you want the liquid, but not “Soupy”, we’re aiming for thick and hearty here.
After browning your meat, put it, along with all of the canned veggies (don’t drain the water off the veggies), seasoning & broth (if needed) into the crockpot. Cook on low for 4-5 hours for all the veggies to get good and marinated in that seasoning. Serve this with whatever you have, corn bread, crackers, a biscuit. It’s just so good, you can’t mess it up. If you’re wanting to serve the masses, just double up on all the ingredients.
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Somehow I didn’t manage to get a picture of it this past week, so you’ll definitely have to just trust me on this one. Here’s some perfectly golden corn bread that’ll have to suffice.
This is a far cry from the nature of my morning coffee concoction (colostrum, raw milk from Claudia & raw egg yolks from our laying hens), but the truth is, I can’t grow and can everything we eat, I can only do my best. And a hearty meal with homegrown meat & some grocery store canned veggies is nothing short of a blessing at the end of a long day. I’m 100% in my it’s about balance and grace era.
So mommas, cut yourself some slack (you’re doing great btw), throw it all in the crockpot, and y’all sit down and share a moment together at the end of a long day. Also, this is SUPER easy, even your kids could make it or at least help you, and I bet they’d be pretty darn proud of themselves when they taste the fruits of their labor.
Also, Cubby’s is LIFESAVING during major stockshow season. You will literally hear no complaints from your crew after a long day in the barn & it warms the bones when Texas decides to have an ice storm. No restaurant, drive thru, pizza or chicken nugget can do that.
I hope to continue to share more crock pot & one pot wonders with y’all in the coming weeks. Our longest standing favorite is coming up next. Stay tuned for “Slumgolian”, it’s a good one.
-Randi
Elston Farms 