Creamy and flavorful chicken from the slow cooker served over brown rice, this is a very satisfying meal requiring minimal preparation and easy peasy cooking in the crockpot. Great for those times when your attention is focused on other projects. Cooking during a kitchen remodel has definitely been a challenge!! The stove is out in the garage and the kitchen is full of three guys wielding power tools. My cooking space is one crockpot on a tv tray in the front hallway adjoining the dining room and a second crockpot on the little chest in the dining room. The dining room is stuffed with boxes full of cabinet contents. They were orderly when the project started four days ago. Operative word – “were”. The motto is: “Keep calm and cook on.” Because that keeps the crew fueled ... [Read More]
slow cooker
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Simple, delicious, filling, nutritious, warm goodness on a cold night. This chicken noodle soup is wonderful. I’m not a big fan of chicken noodle soup but . . . this is not your ordinary soup with its perfect combination of vegetables, tender chicken, light seasoning and rich noodles! Cooked all day in a slow cooker, chicken noodle soup is an almost effortless dinner! Like many soups, this is what I call a “flexible” recipe. Chicken doesn’t always come portioned perfectly in one pound chunks. It doesn’t matter if you have ¾ pound or 1 ¼ pounds. If you have what you think is enough chicken, but there is one lone little piece lingering in the bag – add it to the pot! We like the thick homemade style noodles sold in our area as “Amish” noodles. You might like the thin, almost ... [Read More]
Crockpot Calico Beans
It doesn't matter if you call them Calico Beans or Trucker Beans, or Cowboy Beans or Prairie Beans, this dish is perfect for a summer barbecue or an autumn tailgate party. This recipe is foolproof and flexible and quick to make! Gather your crockpot for no-work cooking and set all the ingredients on the counter. Pour, stir and cook on low for 3-6 hours. Make it a main dish with a tossed salad for a perfect meal. Take it to a gathering and you won't be bringing home leftovers because it's always a hit. Chips* contributed the recipe to a Quasquicentennial community cookbook where I found it. I have tweaked it -- of course!-- many different ways and it always turns out tasty! Chips' family prefers the deeper flavor that comes from baking in a 9x 13 pan for about an hour at 350 ... [Read More]
Aloha Chicken with pineapple and honey
This recipe started out as a crockpot recipe. It was definitely good! However, I use my crockpot most frequently when I am going to be tied up most of the day. You do not want to overcook this one. So I converted it to an oven baked chicken. I know, I know. . . . That is backwards to what most cooks do. But what can I say? It’s really good either way, baked makes a beautiful presentation for guests (and fits my schedule), crockpot is convenient for family (and might fit your schedule). Besides, polite persons don’t say anything with their mouth full. So. . . . . you choose which way you want to cook it and we’ll both be happy campers! With full tummies. I’ve increased the pineapple for this recipe because we happen to really like pineapple. It’s not something we eat a lot, ... [Read More]
Crockpot Cheesecake
A yummy and super easy cheesecake! A cheesecake in the slow cooker, in fact. I like using the slow cooker for an “oven” because it is environmentally friendly. The crockpot is much smaller than the oven, so uses less energy, and does not heat up the kitchen. It takes a bit of trial and error to use the crockpot this way. For the cheesecake you will have to find baking dish to fit inside. There should be at least ½ to 1 inch between the crockpot and the dish, enough room that your fingers fit comfortably into the opening to be able to handle the dish safely. I used a round quart and a half soufflé dish that fit into my round crockpot perfectly. If you would like to make “handles” for your baking dish, measure a piece of aluminum foil long enough to go across the bottom of your ... [Read More]
Crockpot Chicken N Dressing
Eating healthy is not difficult. Small changes make the biggest difference. Limiting carbs has gone a long way toward our goal of eating more healthy meals. If I had cooked a meal like this before it would have included the meat with potatoes or rice plus dressing and a starchy vegetable like corn. Now we choose “just one”. Just one kind of carb is all that is needed for satisfying appetitite, maintaining the daily carb goal and reducing calories without sacrificing nutrition. Tonight this dish was served with Sesame Beans and a tossed salad. That’s it. Full and satisfied. . . and a great reason to get in and out of the kitchen more quickly! I have a theory that preparing a meal should not take longer than eating a meal! Monitoring servings and serving sizes is a second ... [Read More]
