It's my favorite time of the year!  I just love Thanksgiving and Christmas too.  All month long I have been thinking about all we have to be thankful for dispite all the things going on all around us.   I have already shared several great recipes to prepare in the crockpot for Thanksgiving last year.   If you need any ideas click here.  This time I thought I'd just share some easy appetizers for everyone to eat while waiting for the big dinner.

Sweet & Sour Smoked Sausages

- 2 packages (16 oz. each) Lit'l Smokies
- 2 cans (21 oz. each) cherry pie filling
- 1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained
- 3 tbls. brown sugar

Place sausages in a crockpot. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients; pour over sausages. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through.

 Hot Dog & Bacon Roll-Ups

2 pounds hot dogs
20 slices bacon
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder

Cut hot dogs in half crosswise. Cut bacon slices in half crosswise. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder, and chili powder. Wrap each piece of hot dog in a slice of bacon; secure with toothpicks. Arrange a layer of hot dog roll-ups in crockpot. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture over the layer. Repeat, making 2 more layers, ending with the brown sugar mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, stirring gently a few times. Turn to LOW to serve.

Makes 40 appetizers.

Note:  You can also make this recipe with 2 pkgs. (16 oz. each) of lit'l smokies.  Just cut your bacon into 4 pieces and wrap each smokie.

Savory Stuffed Chicken Rolls

6 boneless chicken breast halves
6 thin slices ham
6 thin slices Swiss cheese or other
1/4 to 1/2 cup flour
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Gravy Magic or other browning sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

Place chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap; pound to flatten. On each chicken breast, place a slice of ham and a slice of cheese; roll up and secure with toothpicks. Dredge the chicken rolls in flour. Place mushrooms in slow cooker then top with chicken rolls. Combine chicken broth, wine, and rosemary; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Remove chicken to warm platter. Combine cornstarch, water, and gravy browning sauce; stir into chicken cooking juices and stir until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste; pour sauce over chicken rolls.
Serves 6

Beans and Hot Dogs

Ingredients:

3 cans (16 ounces each) pork and beans
1 pound hot dogs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup ketchup
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions:

In crockpot, combine beans, hot dogs, ketchup, onion, molasses, and mustard. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

Serves 6

Easy Meatball Soup

1 pound frozen meatballs, Italian seasoned
3 cups beef broth
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 cup diced potato, about 1 medium potato
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 ounces (about 3 cups) frozen mixed vegetables

In crockpot, combine meatballs, broth, tomatoes, potato, onion, garlic powder, and pepper. Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours, until potatoes and onion are tender. Stir in frozen vegetables and cook on HIGH for 1 hour longer.  Serves 6

***If desired, serve with a tossed salad and pass the Parmesan cheese.

Sausage Stew

2 to 3 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 to 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausages
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded, chopped

Lightly grease or spray slow cooker; place potatoes in bottom of pot.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add sausage links and brown.  Slice links into 1-inch pieces and transfer to slow cooker.  Add garlic and onion.  In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper; stir to blend.  Pour mixture over the sausages in crockpot.  Cover and cook on LOW setting 8 to 10 hours, until potatoes are tender.  Add bell pepper about 1 hour before serving.  Serve as is, with crusty bread, or with rice.
Serves 6

1 pot roast, lean, boneless, about 2 to 3 pounds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
4 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and quartered (enough for 4 to 6 people)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules or beef base
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
dash ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons cold water, optional

Trim roast. Heat oil in a large skillet and brown roast on all sides. Browning the roast is optional, but does enhance the flavor a bit. Drain fat from skillet. Place sliced onion in crockpot; top with sweet potatoes. Place meat on vegetables. In a cup, combine the 1/2 cup water, beef bouillon granules, celery seed, cinnamon, and pepper. Pour over roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, until meat is tender (or cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours). Remove beef and vegetables to a serving dish and keep warm.

Skim fat from juices and serve with the beef and vegetables. If desired, pour 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a 2-cup measure. Add enough water or broth to make 2 cups. Put the 2 cups of juices into a saucepan and stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Cook on medium-low until thickened and bubbly. Serve with roast and vegetables.