Slow Cooker

October 23, 2015

Crockpot Lasagna Soup recipe

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Lasagna-Soup-Slow-Cooker-Crockpot

Oh my goodness. If you like lasagna – you must try this recipe for Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup. It is creamy, rich, cheesy and just like a homemade lasagna – without all the layering and work that comes with making a lasagna. Not that I’ve ever made a lasagna before, I should confess to that. But now that I’ve made lasagna soup – in my slow cooker of all things – I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to make a labor intensive lasagna! Why bother! I think this would be a perfect meal to make on a Sunday and invite all your family over for dinner. They’ll be super impressed and you’ll be happy because you spent so little time in the kitchen.

Okay, I’ll stop raving about it now and just get right into the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

19 ounces italian sausage links, cut into bite-size pieces
This is the typical size for the Johnsonville italian sausage packages. If you have more, or less, it won’t matter much. Just add what you have or however much you want.

1 onion diced finely
My husband could live without this all together. They still have a bit of crunch even after 8 hours in the crockpot. Your call.

5 garlic cloves minced

1 Tablespoon dried Oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

One (1) 6 oz can of tomato paste

Two (2) 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
I used oregano, basil flavored tomatoes. Most recipes call for a 28-oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes, but I didn’t have this on hand. So I added a 4-oz can of fire-roasted chilies for that smokey flavor. If you use the fire-roasted tomatoes, you could probably leave out the 4 ounces of chilies.

One (1) 4 oz can of fire-roasted green chilies

2 bay leaves

6 Cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

10-12 ounces uncooked pasta
I used shells, but you could use whatever kind you have on hand!

Ricotta and shredded mozzarella cheese for topping

Lasagna-Crockpot-Soup

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) In a large slow cooker (6 quart or larger probably) combine all the ingredients except pasta and cheeses. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

2.) For the last 30 minutes of cooking, add in your uncooked pasta.

3.) When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and add a dollop of ricotta and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. If you want to get fancy you can put it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and started to brown. I admit – I tried this and nearly burned my cheese and the bowl was so hot, it was difficult to manage. I recommend just adding the cheese and stirring it in to melt. It won’t look as pretty, but it’s a lot less work.

You can also serve with garlic bread. I burned mine, so the chickens are eating it now. 🙂

Thanks to Back to Her Roots for the inspiration for this recipe!

Slow-Cooker-Lasagna-Soup Mouse over image (top right) to PIN or click here to REPIN

Come back and tell me what you think about it! I hope you like it as much as we did!

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Posted by Heather at 6:55 pm | Filed Under: Pasta, Slow Cooker, Soup | 14 Comments |

September 5, 2015

Slow Cooker Turkey Pumpkin Chili

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Crockpot-Pumpkin-Turkey-Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Pumpkin Chili

This Slow Cooker Turkey Pumpkin Chili recipe is amazing! I admit, I was a little leery when I read that it had pumpkin puree in it. I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin (don’t shoot me!) – but I was told it wouldn’t have an overwhelming pumpkin flavor – so I went for it, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a gorgeous, bright chili that feels like you’re serving up a bowll full of fall. And the pumpkin adds a creaminess that I haven’t found with other chili recipes. Not to mention the added nutrients from the pumpkin puree.

I used my homemade pumpkin puree that was super easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of ground turkey

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon, chili powder

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoon, cumin

1 teaspoon, oregano

2 cans white northern beans or navy beans (15 oz), rinsed and drained

2 cups chicken broth

15 oz pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin filling)
Make your own with a $0.99 Sugar Pumpkin – here’s my tutorial for homemade pumpkin puree. I actually threw my into the crockpot frozen, since I had frozen the puree in 1 cup increments.

4.0 oz – 4.5 oz canned chopped green chili

salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro, chives, sour cream, avocados, chips

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Heat a large saute pan over high heat and lightly spray with oil. Add ground turkey and cook, at least five minutes, until lightly browned.

2.) Add cooked turkey to slow cooker

3.) Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker.

4.) Cover and cook on high for four (4) hours or low for eight (8) hours

5.) Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning to taste and serve!

This recipe was sent in by Jenny W as part of our Crock-tober series. Send in your recipe and if I feature your recipe on the blog you’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card!

(Source: Skinny Taste)

Here are other Slow Cooker Crockpot recipes we’ve recently posted:

See Amazon’s best selling slow cookers and Crockpots here

{ 11 Comments }

Posted by Heather at 7:55 am | Filed Under: Recipes, Slow Cooker | 11 Comments |

March 16, 2015

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup recipe (leftover pot roast)

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Slow-Cooker-Beef-Barley-Stew Find this Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew on my Slow Cooker Pinterest board

Slow Cooker Beef & Barley soup

We had a pot roast for dinner last night. It turned out delightful. I’ll tell you more about that soon, but I couldn’t wait to tell you about this Slow Cooker Beef and Barley soup that I made today with the leftover pot roast! Next time you have leftover pot roast – give this recipe a try – I think you’ll love it!

This recipe calls for leftover cooked pot roast – but if you buy raw stew beef – just dice into 1/2 squares and throw it into a large skillet with a little oil and onions – and cook it up before throwing it into the crockpot.

Oh I’m a certified member of the I love chunky soup club – so if you prefer your soup a little less full of stuff, just use 1 cup each of the carrots, celery and mushrooms (instead of suggested 2 cups each).

INGREDIENTS

1 to 2 pounds of leftover pot roast, diced small
Or cooked stew meat

7 cups beef broth
If you have Au Jus from the pot roast, you could sub 1-2 cups of broth with Au Ju, but you don’t want it too greasy – so consider cooling the Au Jus overnight in the fridge and removing the hardened fat from the top, using the less fatty, liquid Au Jus for the soup.

2 cups carrots, sliced thinly

2 cups celery, sliced thinly

2 cups mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/2 – 1 cup dried pearl barley

1 can of stewed or diced tomatoes (14.5 oz can)

1 can of sweet corn, drained (15 oz can)

1 onion, diced finely

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

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Posted by Heather at 3:45 pm | Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes, Slow Cooker | 8 Comments |

March 15, 2015

Crockpot Corned Beef and Guinness recipe

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Crockpot Corned Beef with Guinness recipe Check out this recipe, and other Slow Cooker recipes, on my Slow Cookers Pinterest board

Crockpot Corned Beef and Guinness

I didn’t grow up eating corned beef – the first time I made it was a few years ago in the crockpot. This recipe for Corned Beef and Guinness in the crockpot is so incredibly easy and super delicious. I won’t pretend to be a corned beef expert – but this recipe sure seems to get the job done.

If you have other corned beef recipes or cooking methods – I’d love to hear from you, please leave a comment on this post!

Corned-Beef-Guiness-Slow-Cooker-Crockpot

Here’s how I made Crockpot Corned Beef and Guinness . . .

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Posted by Heather at 7:05 pm | Filed Under: Beef, Entrees, Recipes, Slow Cooker | 19 Comments |

February 26, 2015

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup

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Slow Cooker Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup recipe - so easy and it uses frozen tortellinis, so great meal when fridge is empty! Find this and other recipes on my Slow Cooker Pinterest board.

Slow Cooker Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup

If you’re looking for a savory, robust and very filling soup, this Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup is amazing! My husband loved it – raving all night about how good it was. I like this recipe because I think it would work well without meat, without mushrooms and because it comes together so easily. This recipe will definitely make it into our regular slow cooker rotation.

INGREDIENTS

6 cups of spaghetti sauce
You can use homemade, I used a 24-oz store-bought jarred roasted garlic spaghetti sauce without meat.

1/2 lb browned ground beef

1/2 lb browned italian sausage, sliced (about 3-4)

4 cups of chicken broth

8 oz cream cheese
I used regular, not low fat cream cheese. I find that the lower fat cream cheeses can curdle in the slow cooker. The more you stir it the more likely it will all dissolve if you do opt for low fat cream cheese. I’d be interested to try this recipe with just regular half-and-half, eliminating this problem all together?

8 oz sliced fresh baby bella mushrooms

16 oz frozen cheese tortellini

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Handful of fresh spinach leaves (optional), cut into strips

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) If you want to throw it together quickly in the morning I recommend cooking up your meat the night before. Brown your ground beef and italian sausages (separately). Drain beef. Cut cooked sausages into thin slices. Refrigerate until morning.

2.) In the morning, combine spaghetti sauce and meat, chicken broth, cream cheese and mushrooms to slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.

3.) About 30 minutes before dinner, turn Crockpot to HIGH and toss in frozen tortellini, fresh spinach and parmesan cheese. Give it a good stir and cover and cook until it’s tender and hot.

4.) Serve it up and slurp it down. Top with parmesan or mozzarella cheese if you prefer more cheese.

Crockpot-slow-Cooker-tortellini-soup

This recipe was sent in by Monique W. as part of our Crock-tober series. Because we featured her recipe here on the blog she’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card! Send in your recipe and if we feature your recipe – you’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card as well.

(This recipe is adapted from Heather Likes Food blog)

Need a Slow Cooker? I’ve found the best places to look are Costco and Amazon in terms of price and quality. See all the current slow cookers available on Amazon at this time.

If you like this recipe, you might also like these:

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Posted by Heather at 12:45 pm | Filed Under: Recipes, Slow Cooker, Soup | 7 Comments |

February 24, 2015

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

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Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - Chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, wine and more, make this a delicious meal in your Crockpot! See this Chicken Cacciatore Crockpot recipe (and others) on my Slow Cooker Pinterest board

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore recipe

I’ve been on a roll trying out new crockpot recipes and yesterday I made this Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore – another big hit! My husband especially liked it, so we’ll be adding this to our meal rotation.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 chicken breasts, whole and fresh

14 ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used one with basil and oregano flavorings)

6 oz can of tomato paste

1-2 bell peppers, diced finely
I used orange and yellow peppers because green peppers have such a strong flavor

1 medium onion, diced very fine

3-4 minced garlic cloves

1 cup kalamata olives, sliced finely
If you don’t like the strong flavor of kalamata olives, leave them out. This flavor is prominent in the sauce, which we love, but you might not. The sauce will be tasty even without.

1/2 cup red wine, I used a Cabernet, but any dry wine will do

1 tsp italian seasoning

Fresh basil for garnishing
This adds SO MUCH to the flavor, if you like fresh basil – don’t leave it out!

Fresh parmesan for garnishing

Optional – If I had mushrooms, I would have thrown those into the crock, too.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - Chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, wine and more, make this a delicious meal in your Crockpot!

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Place chicken breast on the bottom of the slow cooker

2.) Throw all other remaining ingredients (except basil and parmesan) into the slow cooker

3.) Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Once your chicken is cooked throughout it’s ready to serve! If you want to thicken the sauce up – cook for an hour without the lid.

4.) Serve over pasta or eat like a stew.

I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment if you give this recipe a try.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - Chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, wine and more, make this a delicious meal in your Crockpot!

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Posted by Heather at 1:56 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | Add Your Comment |

February 19, 2015

Slow Cooker Indian Stew

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Slow Cooker Indian Stew - Chicken, Curry, Chickpeas - so good! Check out this recipe and others on my Slow Cooker Pinterest board

Slow Cooker Indian Stew

I made this Slow Cooker Indian Stew for dinner tonight. Oh dear, did it hit the spot! It had the hearty, filling effect, without being a heavy high-fat recipe. Most of the ingredients are probably in your stockpile or freezer – making this an easy recipe to throw together on i-have-no-idea-what-to-make-for-dinner-days.

About an hour before serving the stew, I made a big batch of basmati rice in the rice cooker – timing both to be done about the same time. Ahhhh. . .between the fragrant basmati rice and the rich curry – my house smells divine.

Indian-Curry-Stew-Crockpot

INGREDIENTS

2 – 3 large, fresh chicken breasts, whole (about 1-2 pounds)

1 medium onion. diced finely

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder

2 Teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (leave out if you don’t like spice)

2 cans (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14 to 15 oz) diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

Prepared separately – rice, if desired, I prefer basmati with this recipe

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Place whole chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker

2.) Add all ingredients. Give it a good stir.

3.) Place lid on crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked completely.

4.) After chicken breast are cooked – take two forks and pull chicken apart – shredding it in the stew.

5.) Serve over hot rice. Try to only have one bowl – I dare you.

Slow-Cooker-Indian-Stew-Chicken

I think this stew would be easily adaptable. If you prefer a vegetarian variation, replace the chicken with some of your favorite veggies or add another can of chickpeas (and sub broth of vegetable broth).

I think maybe I might try some diced celery, diced carrots or small cauliflower florets next time. Or small diced potatoes! You could also consider adding some coconut milk for a creamier consistency. I’d love to know what variations you try!

This recipe was adapted from this Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew from Midwest Living.

I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment if you give this recipe a try.

{ 4 Comments }

Posted by Heather at 4:53 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | 4 Comments |

February 6, 2015

Whole Chicken Cooked in Slow Cooker Crockpot

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Crockpot Whole Chicken (slow cooker recipe)

Whole Chicken Cooked in Slow Cooker Crockpot

One of the easiest ways to cook a whole chicken is in a crockpot! The possibilities are endless, but I’m going to share two of my favorite recipes for cooking a whole chicken in a crockpot.

First let’s talk about whole chickens, I also call them roasters – because that’s typically how people cook them (read my tutorial on roasting two chickens at once here). They are a VERY frugal protein – often costing $0.88/lb to $0.99/lb on sale. I like to stock up when under a pound and they freeze beautifully. Not only can you get a substantial meal from the chicken – but the bones and “leftovers” makes amazing slow cooker chicken broth. It’s the meal that keeps on giving. 🙂

Here’s how to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker . . .

INGREDIENTS

Whole roasting chicken – between 3-5 pounds
Fresh or thawed. Don’t try this with a frozen whole chicken.

2 medium onions, sliced in half

SEASONING

1 Tablespoon italian seasoning

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon paprika – I prefer smoked paprika, but any kind works.

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon minced garlic – dried or fresh

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