Bush's Best 3 bean chili

Got this from a Bush beans cookbook, it's yummy. Makes about 4-6 servings. I overflowed my crock-pot when I made the recipe as written, so this edited to be half of the original quantities.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 1/2 t chili powder (or more, lots more if you are me)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small bell pepper, chopped and seeded
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/2 small can tomato paste
dash salt
1/2 t garlic salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t ground cumin
dash cinnamon

Brown ground beef, pour off fat. Add to crock pot, add all other ingredients. (Note: I usually only add about 75% of the bean liquid, or it is too runny.) Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours. Garnish with sharp cheddar and eat with lots of Fritos!

Slow-cooker minestrone

Got this from a Better Homes and Gardens a while back. Serves 8, I often half it.

1 lb. cubed beef stew meat
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, garlic
2 14 oz cans beef broth
1 15 oz can cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 c thinly sliced carrots
salt and pepper to taste
1 c dry bow-tie pasta
1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

In crock pot combine everything EXCEPT pasta and squash. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours or high 4-4.5 hours. Add pasta and squash, raise heat to high if necessary, cover and cook additional 30-45 minutes until pasta is tender. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.

Slow Cooker DrPepper Ribs

This is my (Jen's) all-time favorite ribs recipe because it is SO EASY. It's even easier if you use one of those slow-cooker bags because then when it comes time to drain the ribs, you don't have to lift the hot ceramic bowl out of the crock-pot. Just grab the bag, drain, and toss it and replace the ribs back into the clean ceramic bowl.

• 3 1/2 pounds pork loin back ribs or pork spare ribs (we just buy a full rack of ribs)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup Dr Pepper (or water, or other soda)
• 2/3 cup barbecue sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's the best for this recipe. Rudy's just isn't sweet enough)

1. Spray inside of 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray (or just use one of those bags I mentioned above).
2. Cut ribs into 2 or 3 rib portions. Place ribs in slow cooker; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour Dr Pepper (or water or other soda) into slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until ribs are tender. Remove ribs. Discard liquid.
4. Paint BBQ sauce over ribs and replace ribs into slow cooker. Pour a little additional sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour.