Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

1 whole chicken, quartered and skinned

2~14 oz cans chicken broth, recommended: Swanson's

1~ 10 oz can cream of chicken soup

1/2 t sea salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1 t poultry seasoning*

1/2 lb carrots, sliced

4 ribs celery with leaves, sliced

1/2 one white onion

Dumpling recipe:

1 1/2 c unbleached flour 

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 t fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

6 T cold butter

3/4 t sugar

2/3 c milk

Place chicken in crock pot, season with chicken seasoning, salt and pepper. Place carrots, celery, and onion on top of chicken. Whisk together broth and cream of chicken soup and pour over chicken and vegetables. Cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-8 hours. 

Remove chicken from crock pot, replace lid.  Shred and debone chicken, return to crock pot. Set temperature to high (if on low). 

Prepare dumplings by combining dry ingredients in medium bowl. Cut in butter until fine crumbs form. Add milk and stir just until incorporated.  

Drop dumplings by spoonful into crock pot. Return lid and cook dumplings with chicken additional 20 minutes. Serves 8.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

2 c uncooked elbow macaroni
16 oz plain greek yogurt or sour cream
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c whole milk
1 stick salted butter, melted
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 t mustard powder
1/2 t salt, to taste

Cook macaroni in boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain, do not rinse.

While macaroni is cooking, in medium size crock pot add all remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Add drained macaroni and mix well. Cover and cook on low 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened and macaroni is done.

Serve with additional shredded cheese or other toppings.

Crock Pot Madras Lentils ~ adapted from Peas & Crayons

1/2 lb dried lentils
1 14 oz can no sugar added tomato sauce
1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk
6-8 small yellow potatoes, cubed
4 T butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t cumin
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Optional garnish: greek yoghurt, fresh cilantro, red pepper flake
Water for cooking lentils, plus salt to taste

Bring 4 c salted water to a rapid boil, add lentils and cook 25 minutes. Transfer to crock pot and add remaining ingredients except garnish. Cook on high 4 hours or on low 8 hours. Serve over rice with optional garnish.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Stew ~ adapted from Cabot Cheese

1 rotisserie chicken
3 ~ 14.5 oz cans chicken broth (approximately 5 c)
3 large carrots, trimmed and cut into chunks
3 ribs celery with leaves, cut into chunks
4 whole black peppercorns
1 small bay leaf
1 c uncooked wild rice
1/2 c half and half
1/2 c plain Greek style yogurt
2 T cornstarch
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t salt, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, more or less to taste

Pull off meat from chicken. Dice 2 cups of chicken meat, saving rest for another use, and set aside in refrigerator.

Add broth, wild rice, carrots, celery, peppercorns and bay leaf to crock pot. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or until carrots are tender.

In small bowl, whisk together half and half, yogurt and cornstarch until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir mixture into crock pot. Add thyme and 2 cups of diced chicken. Add salt and pepper as needed. Stir until heated through and serve. Serves 8.

Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Soup ~ adapted from Back For Seconds

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 c chicken broth
4 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 t Greek seasoning, or lemon pepper
2 bay leaves
3/4 c long grain white rice
1/2 c milk
1/3 c flour
10 oz frozen corn kernels
Salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot. Add broth, carrots, celery, greek seasoning, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high 3 hours. Add rice and cook 2 hours more.

Place milk and flour in a small jar with a lid and shake well, ensuring all lumps of four are incorporated. Pour flour mixture into crock pot, add frozen corn and stir well. Remove chicken from pot, shred, and return to pot. Cover and cook 1 hour more. Remove bay leaves, ladle into bowls, add salt and pepper as desired. Serves 6.


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Crock Pot Chicken Divan

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 lb frozen broccoli floretts
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 c light sour cream
1/2 c light mayonnaise
2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 t curry powder
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 c egg noodles, prepared
1/2 c crushed butter crackers, recommended: Ritz (approximately 8 crackers)

Place frozen chicken breasts in single layer on bottom of crock pot and add frozen broccoli.

In small bowl mix together soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cheddar cheese, curry powder and pepper. Pour over chicken and broccoli in crock pot and spread to edge. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over egg noodles topped with crushed crackers, serves 6.

Crock Pot Easy Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 one onion, chopped
4 yukon gold potatoes, diced
8 oz pack baby carrots
1 ~ 14 oz can beef broth

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over meat and stir to coat. Add garlic, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, onion, potatoes, and carrots. Pour in beef broth. Cover and cook on Low for 10 hours, or on High for 6 hours. Remove bay leaf prior to serving. Serves 6.
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Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

half one yellow onion, sliced
3 bell peppers, sliced
4 boneless chicken breast
1/4 c water
2 T ground cumin
2 T chili seasoning
1/4 c fresh lime juice
Tortillas
Toppings, such as sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa

Lightly spray inside crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place sliced onion and peppers in crock pot. Add water. Place chicken on top and pour lime juice over chicken. Sprinkle the top of chicken with cumin and chili powder. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours (or on High for 4 hours) or until meat is shreddable. Serves 4.



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Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1 box cornbread stuffing, recommended: Stove-Top
1 can cream of chicken condensed soup
1/2 c sour cream
1 c chicken broth, divided

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot and pour over 1/2 c chicken broth. Sprinkle dry stuffing mix evenly over chicken. In small bowl, mix together condensed soup, sour cream and remaining 1/2 c broth. Spread mixture evenly over stuffing mix. Cook in crock pot on low 4 hours. Serves 4.


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Pot Roast Beef Stew ~ adapted from Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee

1/4 one medium white onion, cut into large chunks
8 oz. baby carrots
3 lbs red potatoes, quartered
3 to 3.5 lbs beef chuck roast, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
2 T canola oil
1~ 10 oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1 packet onion soup mix
2~ 14 oz cans low-sodium beef broth
1/4 c steak sauce

Put onions, carrots, and potatoes in bottom of large crock-pot.

Season roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add roast and brown on all sides. Place in crock pot on top of vegetables.

In small bowl, whisk together cream of celery soup, onion soup mix, beef broth, and steak sauce. Pour over top of roast, cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours.

Crock-Pot Spinach and Pesto Lasagna

2 c marinara sauce, plus extra for serving
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 c pesto
2 c ricotta cheese
12 oz bag baby spinach, washed and dried
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup water

Place approximately 1/4 c pasta sauce in bottom of large 4 quart Crock-pot slow cooker. Add one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them apart to cover sauce. Spread 1/2 c ricotta cheese and 2 T pesto on pasta. Add 1/4 of the spinach and sprinkle heavily withParmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Repeat layers twice or until all ingredients are used. Put 1/4 c water into empty sauce jar and pour over top of lasagna.

Place cover on Crock-pot and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Lasagna is done when pasta is tender. Uncover and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This dish was delicious and much easier to prepare than a traditional lasagna with precooked pasta. I would recommend using fresh mozzarella rather than pre-shredded cheese as the anti-caking ingredients make the cheese rubbery.

Pasta E Fagioli

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1/4 one white onion
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans, drained
2 (14 oz) cans beef broth
1 t oregano
1 t pepper
3 t parsley
1 t Tabasco sauce, to taste
1 (10 oz) can spaghetti sauce
4 oz pasta, uncooked

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot excluding pasta. Cook on low 8 hours. Add pasta during last hour, garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 8.

Crock Pot Lentil Chili

1 pound lentils, rinsed and picked
5 c chicken stock*
2 c water
1 packet mild chili seasoning (recommended; McCormick)
1/2 t garlic powder
salt to taste

Place rinsed lentils in crock pot. Add chicken stock, chili seasoning, garlic powder and stir well. Cover, set to high and cook 4 hours, stirring lentils every hour. Add more water as needed to keep lentils covered in liquid. Blend with immersion blender to desired consistency after cooking is complete. Add salt to taste. Serves 10.

Chef's Note: *Lentil chili can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken stock.

Perfect Pinto Beans

1 pound dried pinto beans~ rinsed and picked
1 ham hock~ with some ham attached
water

Soak clean dried beans in large bowl of water for 24 hours. Discard water and transfer beans to crock pot. Place ham hock in center of beans and cover with clean water (water should be approximately 1 inch above beans). Cook on high for 1 hour then reduce to low and cook 12 hours or until beans are tender and creamy. Spoon beans and sauce over cooked white rice for "piggy smash", add salt and pepper to taste after cooking.

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken with Black Beans

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 ~ 15 1/2 ounce can black beans ~ drained
1 ~ 15 ounce jar mild Pace salsa
2 c frozen corn kernels
1 ~ 8 ounce package cream cheese

Place chicken in crock pot. Add black beans, salsa and corn. Turn pot to high for 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Place cream cheese in pot for 1/2 hour to soften. Stir and serve over white rice.