Crockpot Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta

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Recipe courtesy of:

 The Recipe Critic

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours – 6 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. Parmesan garlic sauce (Buffalo Wild Wings brand or similar)
  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 10 oz. pasta, cooked and drained. Rotini or similar.
  • Parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions

  1. Spray the inside of the crockpot with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot.
  3. Pour the entire bottle of parmesan garlic sauce over the chicken.
  4. Add the cream cheese and parmesan cheese on top of the chicken and sauce.
  5. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
  6. Shred the chicken before serving and stir it to mix into the sauce.
  7. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  8. Add the cooked pasta to the crockpot. Stir to combine and garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 1074kcal Carbohydrates: 56g Protein: 66g Fat: 64g Saturated Fat: 37g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 17g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 302mg Sodium: 919mg Potassium: 1094mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 4g Vitamin A: 1990IU Vitamin C: 3mg Calcium: 239mg Iron: 2mg

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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Recipe courtesy of:

Ambitious Kitchen

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 7 hours
Total time: 7 hours, 20 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 lbs. beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 1/2 pounds when done)
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth (or beef bone broth)
  • 1 cup dry red wine (or sub extra beef broth)
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
  • 4 large carrots (or 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices
  • 1 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour (or sub all purpose gluten free flour)
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

  1. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium high heat. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and brown in batches, so that you give the meat room for a nice sear. This should take about 5 minute per batch of meat. Transfer to large 6 or 8-quart slow cooker.
  2. Next add in beef broth, dry red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir together with the beef until combined, then add in garlic, onion chunks, carrots and diced potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. I prefer to cook this slow and low so that the beef become really tender and the flavors have time to meld together.
  3. Next, remove 1 cup of beef broth from the slow cooker and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup flour until there aren’t any lumps remaining. Add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add in frozen peas and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10-15 more minutes until beef stew thickens up a bit. Serve immediately with toasted French bread, cornbread, crackers, or biscuits..

Nutrition

Calories: 410cal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 39.6g, Fat: 14.5gSaturated Fat: 4.8g, Fiber: 3.8g, Sugar: 5.1g

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

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Recipe courtesy of:

RecipeTinEats

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8:30 minutes
Total Time: 8:45 minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 13.5 lb. beef chuck or other stewing beef, cut in 1.5” cube
  • 1.5 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. oil
  • 1 Tbsp. butter , unsalted
  • 1 large onion , halved then sliced into 2/5″ slices
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 7 Tbsp. all purpose flour , plain
  • 4 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
  • 1 quart reduced salt beef stock or broth
  • 1.5 cups sour cream (full fat best)

Garlic Butter Mushrooms

  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1.2 lb. mushrooms, sliced into 0.5 cm thick slices
  • 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Topping

  • Mashed potatoes or pasta for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat beef dry then sprinkle with all the salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy based pot or skillet over high heat. Add beef in a single layer (not squished) and brown aggressively all over – 4 minutes or so. Remove and repeat with rest of beef, adding more oil as needed.
  3. Let the pot cool down a bit then return to stove. Melt half the butter, then cook garlic and onion for 3 minutes until softened.
  4. Sprinkle the flour across the surface, then stir. Add the mustard, and stir – it will look gluey, that’s ok, it will dissolve.
  5. While stirring, pour in about half the beef stock then mix so the flour mixture dissolves into the liquid. It will thicken quite quickly into a gravy-like consistency .Switch to a whisk if needed, to make it lump free. Then add remaining stock, stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, and bring to simmer. Cook using chosen method below.
  6. Transfer all items to the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low (or 5 hours on high)
  7. Mix sour cream with 1.5 cups of liquid from slow cooker, then gently stir into stew – careful, the beef is delicate!
  8. Gently stir in mushrooms.
  9. Serve over noodles, pasta or mashed potato, sprinkled with chives!

Comments

Excellent version! Be sure to follow step 7 by stirring gently. The beef will be very tender.

Nutrition

Calories:666cal (33%) Carbohydrates:12g (4%) Protein:59g (118%) Fat:44g (68%) Saturated Fat:19g (119%) Cholesterol:204mg (68%) Sodium:1474mg (64%) Potassium:1626mg (46%) Fiber:2g (8%) Sugar:3g (3%) Vitamin A:281IU (6%) Vitamin C:5mg (6%) Calcium:64mg (6%) Iron:7mg (39%)

Slow Cooker Pork Loin

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Recipe courtesy of:

Trisha Yearwood

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours, 20 minutes
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

3 lb. pork loin, trimmed
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. corn starch

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl combine the garlic powder, ginger, dried thyme, black pepper and salt.  Rub the seasoning over the surface of the pork loin. 
  2. In a skillet, heat opn and brown the pork loin on all sides.  Transfer the browned pork loin to the crock pot. 
  3. In a bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice and soy sauce and pour over the pork.
  4. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. 
  5. For the gravy: pour the liquid from the crock pot into a measuring cup.  Skim off the fat.  Measure two cups of the liquid adding water if needed.  Transfer liquid to a sauce pan reserving ½ cup.  Stir cornstarch into the reserved ½ cup and then add to the pan with the rest.  Heat, stirring frequently until thick.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. 

Slow Cooker Mushroom Soup

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Recipe courtesy of:

Eating Well

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours, 40 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours
Serves 12

Ingredients

4 cups boiling water
2 cups dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
⅝ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced shallots (about 8 ounces)
1 garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 cup dry sherry
3 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms (such as cremini, portobello, shiitake, and button), sliced
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Pour 2 cups of the boiling water over the porcini mushrooms. Let stand 20 minutes.
  2. Drain the porcini mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving the mushroom broth; set the mushrooms aside.
  3. Strain the mushroom broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander into a bowl; discard the solids.
  4. Stir in the cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 cups boiling water into the mushroom broth; set aside.
  5. Heat the oil in a medium-sized nonstick skillet over medium-high.
  6. Add the shallots and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
  7. Add the sherry; bring to a boil, and cook 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
  8. Stir together the porcini mushrooms, broth mixture, shallot mixture, fresh mushrooms, and thyme in a 5-quart slow cooker.
  9. Cover and cook on HIGH until the vegetables are very tender and the flavors blend, about 4 hours.
  10. Uncover and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
  11. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender.
  12. Remove the center piece of the blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure the lid on the blender.
  13. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters).
  14. Blend until smooth, about 10 seconds.
  15. Return the puréed soup to the slow cooker; gently stir in the cream. Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve hot.

Mushroom Pork Chops

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Recipe courtesy of:

the Cozy Cook

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients

Mushrooms

2 Tbsp. butter
8 oz. mushrooms, see notes

Pork Chops

4 pork chops, see notes
Salt, to taste
¼ cup flour
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Gravy

2 cups chicken broth
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 tsp better than bouillon
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, can sub low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup half and half
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. mustard powder
¼ tsp. dried sage
1/2 cup dry white wine, see notes
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. Butter
4 Tbsp. Flour
2-3 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional

Instructions

Prep Work

  1. Sprinkle each side of the pork chops with salt and let them sit out for 30 minutes or so. This will give the salt a chance to penetrate through the meat and flavor it. It will also make the pork juicier. A light sprinkling is fine as the gravy also has plenty of flavor.
  2. Cover the pork with saran wrap and pound it with a meat tenderizer. This also helps to make it more tender.
  3. In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the chicken broth, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, half and half, and seasonings for the gravy. (1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. mustard powder, 1//2 tsp. thyme, ¼ tsp. sage.) Set aside.

Cooking

Melt butter over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Allow them to brown on each side for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. Sauté in batches if needed, leaving space around them will allow them to crisp up more. Add a little more butter and/or a splash of olive oil during cooking if needed. Remove once golden brown and set aside on a plate.

Searing

  1. Pat the pork chops completely dry. Dredge the Pork Chops in the flour mixture just before frying. This gives them a nice outer crust.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear 2 pork chops at a time for about 2-3 minutes per side, until nice and golden. Optional: Use kitchen tongs to hold up the pork chops and sear the fat around the outside if using bone-in. Add a splash more olive oil or decrease heat slightly as needed during searing. Set pork chops aside.
  3. Clear any black remnants from the pan but leave as much brown “fond” as you can, as this will create a more flavorful sauce.

Gravy

  1. Add the wine and garlic to the same skillet over medium heat. Let it reduce and bubble gently until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot with the wine as it reduces.
  2. Add 4 tbsp. butter and let it melt. Add 4 tbsp. flour and whisk to combine with the butter. Continue to whisk for about 2 minutes, until you can no longer smell the flour.
  3. Add the chicken broth mixture in small splashes, whisking continuously to incorporate. Don’t add it too quickly or the roux will break and the sauce won’t be as thick.
  4. Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce to a simmer, stirring continuously.
  5. Optional: Add 2-3 drops of Kitchen Bouquet to darken the color of the gravy.

Finishing

  1. Add the pork chops back to the skillet and spoon the sauce on top.
  2. Cover and let the pork chops cook for 10 minutes. If possible, use kitchen tongs to flip them halfway through.
  3. Add the mushrooms back to the skillet and cover. Turn off heat and let the pork rest in the skillet for 5 minutes. Ensure the middle is 145° prior to serving.
  4. Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots.

Notes

Mushrooms

  • I like to buy mushrooms that are already sliced, cleaned, and dried to save time. Button or Baby Bella mushrooms are good options.
  • The mushrooms are cooked separately in this recipe and are mixed into the sauce at the end. This lets them release some of their water, concentrate their flavor, and give them a nice golden color.
  • More than 8 oz. can be used, although I feel like they absorb some of the gravy even though they’re not added back until the end.

Pork Chops

I recommend bone-in pork chops as those are the most flavorful. Aim for nicely marbled meat that’s 1 to 1.5 inches thick for juiciest results.

Wine

  • Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay make good wine choices in this recipe. Marsala wine can also be used.
  • Wine Substitute: 1/2 Cup chicken broth and 1 Tbsp. butter can be used instead of white wine if needed.

Crockpot Method

  • Cook the mushrooms and sear the pork chops as outlined, set aside, and prepare the gravy.
  • Transfer the gravy and pork chops to the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Refrigerate the mushrooms in an airtight container and stir them in before serving.
  • The prep work above can be done 2 days ahead before cooking it in the slow cooker.

Nutrition

Calories: 582kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 795mg, Potassium: 1038mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 606IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 2mg

Lentil Sloppy Joes

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Recipe courtesy of:

Spend with Pennies

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 39 minutes
Total Time: 54 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 green bell pepper finely chopped
1 small onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cups water
1 cup broth beef or vegetable broth
1 cup brown lentils
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce if desired)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
8 hamburger buns

Instructions

  1. Cook green pepper and onion in olive oil until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, water, broth and lentils.
  2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook 25 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients (except buns) and simmer an additional 10-15 minutes or until thickened.
  3. Spoon lentil mixture over hamburger buns and serve.

Notes

Slow Cooker Version: Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker increasing broth to 2 cups. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.  To thicken, cook on high uncovered an additional 30 minutes if needed.

Canned Lentils: To replace dry lentils, drain canned lentils well and skip the boiling (and the broth). You will need 2 cups of canned lentils (or pre-cooked lentils).

Variations: Add 1/2 lb. of ground beef and half the lentils along with half the liquid. For extra flavor, spread garlic butter over the hamburger buns and lightly toast under the broiler.

Nutrition

Calories: 266 | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 632mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 4mg

Mississippi Pot Roast

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Recipe courtesy of:

Chili Pepper Madness

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 or 4 lbs. boneless chuck roast
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. flour
  • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 stick butter
  • 8 oz. or more of pepperoncini peppers
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. dried dill
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 tsp. buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  • 3 Tbsp. water

Instructions

Homemade Ranch Dressing

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill, paprika, Worcestershire, hot sauce and buttermilk.
  2. Pour into the crock pot and stir.

Roast

  1. Season roast with salt, pepper and flour. Be sure to coat all sides.
  2. Heat the oil to medium heat in a pan and sear the cubed roast on one side for about 5 minutes, then flip and sear another 5 minutes. Sear the sides of the roast a couple minutes each as well.
  3. Add to a crock pot or slow cooker.
  4. Add the butter, pepperoncini’s, and beef broth.
  5. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Low is recommended for this recipe.
  6. Transfer the tender meat to a bowl with 1 cup of the cooking liquid and shred with forks.

Gravy

  1. Strain the remaining cooking liquid and add to a sauce pan. Heat to medium heat.
  2. Stir the corn starch and water together to form a slurry. Pour into the pan and stir, heating, until the mixture thickens into a gravy. Should take a few minutes.
  3. Serve with your favorite mashed potatoes with gravy.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal   Carbohydrates: 7g   Protein: 23g   Fat: 17g   Saturated Fat: 6g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g   Monounsaturated Fat: 8g   Trans Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 80mg   Sodium: 1023mg   Potassium: 473mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 1g   Vitamin A: 249IU   Vitamin C: 24mg   Calcium: 30mg   Iron: 3mg