Pressed for Time? Use Your Crockpot

During the busy holiday season it is tempting to fall into the habit of ordering pizza, or stopping at the fast food restaurant rather than taking the time to make a wholesome meal. Not only will you spend more, you won't be offering your family the best nutrition with those meals.

One of the best low-cost, easy, and fastest ways to get a meal on the table is to use your crockpot. You can throw all the ingredients in the night before (of course refridgerate) then start it the next morning before you go to work or out to do holiday errands. Your dinner will be waiting for you.

Slow cookers or crock pots are a great way to use more inexpensive cuts of meat, so you can create low-cost, but tasty meals. And it is so easy.

Here's one of our favorite crockpot meals:

Crockpot Goulash

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds round steaks, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes
1 cup sour cream

Put steak cubes, onion, garlic in crockpot. Stir in flour and mix to coat steak cubes. Add all remaining ingredients except sour cream. Stir well. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, stirring occasionally. Add sour cream 30 minutes before serving, and stir in thoroughly.

Per Serving: 304 Cal (42% from Fat, 49% from Protein, 9% from Carb); 36 g Protein; 14 g Tot Fat; 7 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 59 mg Calcium; 4 mg Iron; 493 mg Sodium; 103 mg Cholesterol

Serve with noodles and a salad and you are set! I hope your family will love this recipe as much as my family does.

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