Tag Archives: Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Dinner, , ,

slow-cooker-baked-ziti

Delicious, baked ziti from the slow cooker?  Yes!  It’s delicious and the pasta cooks just perfectly.

 

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 lb Hot or Sweet Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 Onion, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
8 oz Ziti
28 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
15 oz Can Tomato Sauce
8 oz Whole-Milk Ricotta Cheese
4 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
2 Tablespoons Basil, sliced for garnish

Fold 2 (18 inch) pieces of aluminum foil in half lengthwise.  Line the perimeter of the slow cooker with the foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  This will prevent burning.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage, break it up into pieces and cook until browned.  Add onion and cook until lightly browned.  Season with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Cook for another minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the ziti.  Stir and cook until the edges of the pasta become translucent, about 4 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Pour into the prepared slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

Remove the foil from the slow cooker.  Spoon dollops of ricotta over the pasta and top with mozzarella cheese.  Cover and let the cheese melt for about 20 minutes.  Garnish with basil.

Serves: 6

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Dinner, , ,

Slow-Ench-Soup

Try this Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup to warm you up this winter.

 

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Cup Chicken  Broth
2 Cups Milk, divided
15 oz Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz Can Diced Tomatoes with Jalapenos
10 oz Frozen Corn
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 Small Red Bell Pepper, diced
10 oz Can Red Enchilada Sauce
2 Chicken Breasts
Optional Toppings:
Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
Avocado
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips

 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium/low heat.  Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup milk.  Bring to a bubble and let thicken.  Remove from heat and whisk in enchilada sauce and remaining milk.

Combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion and bell pepper together in a slow cooker.  Place chicken on top and pour in the enchilada sauce mixture.

Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.  Shred chicken after cooking.

 

Yield: About 8-10 Servings

-Recipe from Dainty Chef-

Slow Cooked Beef and Barley Soup

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Beef-and-Barley-Soup

This Beef and Barley Soup is packed full of veggies and deliciousness!

 

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
Salt and Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
2 Cups Sliced Carrots
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
1 Zucchini, chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno, diced
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
64 oz Beef Broth
8.8 oz Barley
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

 

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat.  Add beef and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in slow cooker.

Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the skillet along with carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, thyme and jalapeno.  Cook until veggies are softened, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in slow cooker.

Add broth, barley and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker.  Stir to combine.

Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 7-8 hours.

Yield: 8-10 Servings (Slow Cooker Full of Soup)

Slow Cooked Brown Sugar & Garlic Chicken

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Brown-Sugar-and-Garlic-Chk

 

This Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken recipe is sweet and tangy.  The chicken slow cooks all day, then the sauce gets thickened up to make a nice glaze.  This chicken goes well over brown rice or whatever your favorite rice is.

 

Ingredients:
4 Large Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Lemon-Lime Soda
8-10 Garlic Cloves, minced or finely grated
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
2 Tablespoons Water
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, optional for serving

 

Combine chicken, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce and pepper together in a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Once cooked, remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred it.

Pour the sauce into a saucepan and whisk in cornstarch and water.  Bring to a boil and let bubble for 2-3 minutes to thicken.  Remove from heat and let sit for a couple minutes before serving.  The sauce will thicken up.

Serve chicken over brown rice with the sauce on top.  Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper flakes to spice it up.

Yield: about 6 Servings

-Recipe adapted from Makin’ it Mo’ Betta-

Slow Cooked Enchilada Chicken

Dinner, , , , ,

 

I’ve thought many times about making enchiladas in the slow cooker, but all I could picture was a soggy, inedible mess of tortillas.  Certainly not very appetizing.  Slow Cooked Enchilada Chicken is the perfect way to have a slow cooked enchilada dinner.  No soggy tortillas here!  This was super tasty and really easy to make.  I hope you all enjoy this Slow Cooked Enchilada Chicken dinner!

 

Ingredients:
1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 1/2 Cups Enchilada Sauce(28 oz can or homemade)
6 oz Olives, chopped
10 Tortillas

Toppings:
Shredded Cheese
Chopped Cilantro
Sliced Green Onions
Sour Cream

 

Combine chicken, enchilada sauce, and olives together in a slow cooker.  Cook on low 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours.  Shred chicken after cooking is done.

Serve in warm tortillas with cheese, cilantro, green onions and sour cream.

 

Homemade Enchilada Sauce:

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 1/2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
15 oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth

 

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth and warmed.

 

 

Serves: 4

Slow Cooked Cherry Grunt

Dessert, , ,

 

Cherry Grunt is very similar to a cobbler, except that the dumplings are steamed instead of baked and browned in the oven.  This delicious dessert is made even easier by cooking in the slow cooker.  This Cherry Grunt recipe comes from Cook’s Country magazine and is perfect in every way.  Sweet delicious cherry filling that isn’t soupy and perfectly steamed dumplings that are slightly crunchy without being soggy.  I am not a huge fan of cherry pie because it doesn’t really taste like cherries.  This Cherry Grunt has tastes just like sweet delicious cherries.  I hope you try this recipe!

 

Ingredients:
2 1/4 lbs Frozen Sweet Cherries
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup plus 3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 1/4 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Milk
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled

 

Stir together cherries, 1/4 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and almond extract together in a large bowl.  Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes, stir and microwave for another 2 1/2 minutes.  This will help the cherries to release some of their juices.  Stir well and transfer to a slow cooker.

Combine 1 3/4 Cups flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.  Spray a 1/4 cup measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray and drop 8 dumplings around the perimeter of the slow cooker.

Stir together 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.  Sprinkle on top of the dumplings.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.  The Cherry Grunt is done when a toothpick inserted in the dumplings comes out clean.

 

Don’t forget to serve your Cherry Grunt with ice cream!

Yield: 6 Servings

-Recipe by Cook’s Country Magazine-