Crock-Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe

My sister and brother-in-law eat more Mexican food than anyone else I know. My bro-in-law is from Texas so it only makes sense that he'd be a fan and my sister-in-law, she just loves some Mexican food.  So it was not a big surprise when I went over to their house recently for dinner and they served up some Mexican-inspired white chicken chili, complete with cilantro.

My sister-in-law is like my mother-in-law in that they don't generally follow a recipe because they are good like that, so I knew I better ask her right away how she made it. She told me about cilantro paste which I had seen at the store before but hadn't tried. It tasted great in the chili, very fresh tasting and about 1/3 of the price of fresh too. Considering it's winter and all my fresh herbs are outside and frozen right now and will be until about June, I was sold. So I did buy some cilantro paste and recreated her chili so it's now on the books!

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
4 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 onion, diced
2 red peppers, diced
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups white corn
1/2 lime, juiced

2 (14.5oz) cans white beans

2 tsp cilantro paste

1/2 cup sour cream

Try it topped with diced avocado and crumbled tortilla chips! 

Directions

1. Place chicken, garlic, onion, red pepper, green chilies, cumin, lime juice, salt and garlic in a greased slow cooker. Pour chicken stock over top. Cook for 4hrs on low.

2. Remove chicken and shred. Place chicken back in Crock-Pot and stir in cream, lime juice, beans and corn. Heat on high for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Right before serving, stir in cilantro and sour cream. 

Crock-Pot Creamy Sausage Ravioli Recipe

"The best recipe on Pinterest"? That's what captions all over the place were saying about this recipe so how could I not try this? I was really surprised at how truly easy this was to make and that you could cook the tortellini in the Crock-Pot and have it not totally disintegrate. They held up just fine actually and the ravioli absorbed all the delicious flavors from the sausage and sauce. So, all in all, for the ease of making this dish it's pretty fantastic. Maybe not the best recipe on the entirety of Pinterest but I'd say it's the best Crock-Pot recipe I've tried so far. And since the hubby and the kids liked it, I'm absolutely adding it into our dinner rotation.

2 (14.5oz) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 tub Knorr® condensed chicken stock

4 cups water

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 lb Italian breakfast sausage

1 bag of frozen ravioli
1 cup fresh spinach

Directions
1. Put tomatoes, water and condensed chicken stock into the Crock-Pot and stir together.

2. Slice up cream cheese into small chucks and stir in with other ingredients in Crock-Pot.

3. Cut up sausage into bite-size chunks. Place in Crock-Pot.

4. Add frozen ravioli to Crock-Pot, fold in until thoroughly coated with sauce.

5. Cook on low for 4 hours.

6. Stir in spinach and cook for an additional 10 minutes then serve.


Serves: 4-6

Spicy Thai Roasted Red Pepper Soup Recipe

The simple spicy sweetness gives this soup a complex flavor with very few ingredients. This soup is amazing over rice or with some crusty bread — perfect for a crisp fall day.

Ingredients
2 (12oz) jars roasted red peppers
1 large onion, chopped
1 small jalapeño, deseeded and chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 (14.5oz) can tomatoes
1 (13.5oz) can coconut milk


Directions
1. In your Crock-pot, add roasted red peppers (do not drain), onion, garlic, jalapeño, tomatoes (do not drain), coconut milk, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander, ginger and water. Simmer on low for 4 hours.

2. Strain out solids by pouring soup through a strainer into a bowl. Purée solids in a food processor or blender. Return to Crock-pot then spoon into bowls and serve warm.

Crock-Pot Pork Roast Au Jus

Have I mentioned how much I love my Crock-Pot? And how awesome it is to have dinner essentially ready when I walk through the door after a long day of work? Ah, yes. So, here's one more recipe to add to your apron pocket. It's good enough to impress dinner guests and easy enough to throw together on a weekday.

Ingredients
4lb pork roast

1 package onion soup mix
2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup water
1/3 cup red wine
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp minced garlic
Fresh pepper to taste

Fresh parsley to taste, chiffonade 

Directions

1. Place pork roast in Crock-Pot. Pour onion soup mix, brown sugar, water, wine and soy sauce over top. Toss to coat.

2. Rub top of roast with garlic and top with fresh pepper.

3. Cook on low for 4 hours.

4. Top with fresh parsley. 

Things you'll need to make this:

Crispy Crock-Pot Creamy Italian Chicken Recipe

You may have seen a recipe like this going around Pintest. It's simple. It's delicious. And you can make it in a Crock-Pot. However, there's a secret little ingredient here that makes this dish not like the other ones. Want to know what it is? Wait for it... wait for it... okay, okay, it's Panko crumbs. I'll admit, I got the idea to add fried Panko crumbs from another recipe I made recently (which was not very tasty by the way so I won't be sharing it!). So, here ya go: easy crispy creamy Italian chicken :

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1 (16oz) large can cream of chicken soup
1 packet Italian dressing mix
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
1/4 cup water
1 bag frozen peas & carrots
1/4 cup Panko crumbs
4 tbsp cooking oil, divided
1 bag no-yolk egg noodles

Directions
1. Grease Crock-Pot with 2 tbsp of oil. Place chicken breasts in the Crock-Pot. Add Italian dressing mix, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup and water. Stir in vegetables if desired; I like to add peas & carrots. Cook on low for 4+ hours or until chicken is throughly cooked. When chicken is cooked, remove and cut it up or shred it. Then place it back in the Crock-Pot, stirring into the sauce to thoroughly coat the chicken.

2. Prepare noodles as directed on the package.

3. For the crispy topping, heat remaining 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat and fry panko crumbs until they are golden brown (about 2-3 mins). Serve creamy chicken over prepared noodles and sprinkle Panko crumbs on top.

Serves: 4-6

Things you'll need to make this:
  

Creamy Crock-Pot Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

This is an excellent, easy recipe for creamy Crock-Pot chicken and dumplings that's made up of ingredients you'll likely already have on hand.

Ingredients
1 whole fryer chicken (or 4 large chicken breasts)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 onion, minced

1 bay leaf

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 bag crinkle cut carrots

About 6 cups water

2 cups chicken stock (created from cooking chicken)
1 (26oz) large can cream of chicken soup

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp celery seed

1 lrg package Pillsbury flakey buttery biscuits (dumplings)

Directions
1. Place chicken, onions, garlic, celery, carrots and bay leaf into crock pot and fill with water until chicken is covered or mostly covered.

2. Cook on high for 4 hours or until chicken is falling off the bone. Remove the whole chicken and let cool in a bowl.

3. Using a strainer placed over a large bowl, pour remaining Crock-Pot contents into the bowl using the strainer to separate out the solid ingredient from the chicken stock. Measure and return 2 cups of chicken stock to Crock-Pot. Stir in cream of chicken soup, pepper, garlic salt and celery seed. Turn Crock-Pot to high heat and cover.

4. Shred the cooled chicken, discarding the carcass, and return chicken to Crock-Pot. Add solid ingredients from the strainer back into the Crock-Pot. Stir gently.

5. Open biscuit dough and slice each biscuit in sixths. Place in crockpot pointy-side down. Cook on high 55-60 minutes or until all dumplings are firm to touch.

Serves: 6-8

Kathi Lipp's December 26th Chili Recipe

I asked Kathi Lipp (author of The "What's for Dinner?" Solution and The Christmas Project) for one of her family's favorite holiday recipes and she sent me this great idea for turning Christmas leftovers into a delicious post-Christmas chili. Throw it in bread bowl and it's a no-fuss dinner you can serve your holiday house guests (who may or may not have decided to overstay their welcome).

This recipe can be doubled or tripled, depending on how many people will be stopping by (or lingering).

Ingredients


3/4 lb. leftover chicken or turkey, shredded
1 cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-16 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1-16 oz. can kidney beans
1-16 oz. can tomato sauce
3 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. basil
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
Salt & pepper to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Directions
Kathi says "It's truly this easy": In a large saucepan, sauté onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Drain. Place in your Crock-Pot, along with the leftover chicken or turkey, un-drained tomatoes, drained kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil, salt and pepper. Cook on low for at least four hours. Serve in a warm, toasted bread bowl topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream.


Serves: 4

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

This is one of my favorite fall meals to prepare because it's one of those meals I don't need to think about ahead of time and it only takes 30 minutes to cook. You can also throw everything into your Crock-Pot and cook it that way if you need to save time. This makes a lot of soup so you can save some for lunches or make it when you're having friends over!

1 package Bear Creek Soup Mix
4 large potatoes
1 white onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced ham
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp chives
1tbsp butter
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

*For a twist try parmesan instead of cheddar and fresh thyme instead of chives.

1. Peel and cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks, place in a large stock pot with 8 cups of water. Cover and boil for 15 minutes.
2. Sauté onion in butter until onions soften. Add diced ham, stirring occasion. Cook until onions are translucent and ham is lightly browned.
3. After 15 minutes, add Bear Creek Soup mix, onion, ham and remaining ingredients. Turn down to medium heat and cook for another 30 mins.
4. Serve topped with a sprinkle of cheese, ham and herbs if you're trying to impress!

Serves: 6-8

Things you'll need:
  

Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

This is so delicious and so easy it literally cooks itself! I've taken this to tailgates and also serve it for dinner regularly at our house. Everyone loves it and you can make it as spicy or as bland as your taste buds desire. Don't let the long list of ingredient intimiate you; it's all stuff you'll likely already have on hand.

Ingredients
3 large chicken breasts
8 cups water
1 small onion, sliced
1 (8oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
1 (8oz) can black or navy beans
1 package Bear Creek tortilla soup base

1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

For extra flavor:
1 lime (optional)
1 (4oz) can green chilies (optional)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Tortilla strips (salted)

Directions
Put all ingredients minus the sour cream and cheese into your Crock-Pot  After the chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove and shred it. Put the chicken back in the Crock-Pot; stir in the sour cream and cheese and then it's ready to serve. Flavor with fresh-squeezed lime juice to taste and top with tortilla strips.

Serves: 8

Things you'll need:
  

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers Recipe

I actually like to use a 1/2 and 1/2 blend of turkey and ground beef whenever any recipe calls for ground beef. It's just a little bit healthier and it produces a really yummy and less greasy tasting flavor if you know what I mean. Feel free to go all-turkey if you want.

So, here's the recipe I use. It came from my mother-in-law who makes these (and so does her mother) and they are soooo good. She doesn't measure anything though so she just told me the ingredients. After many times making and tweaking this, I finally have gotten it to taste like hers...

Ingredients
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp parsley

4 bell peppers (choose your favorite color!)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 (10 3/4oz) can condenced tomato soup
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp sugar

Topping
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cut off tops of peppers and remove seeds.

2. Knead together turkey and beef with eggs, rice, onion, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and parsley.

3. Stuff peppers with turkey mixture. Place into Crock-Pot.

4. Stir together garlic, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and sugar. Pour over stuffed peppers.

5. Cook on low for 4 hrs or until thoroughly cooked. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Yield: Serves 4

Things you'll need:

  

Curried Apple Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This is a deliciously rich soup with a sweet, earthy flavor. I don't love butternut squash or apples particularly but together with the spices, some kind of magic happens and I end up really savoring this soup. I had some garam masala leftover from the Indian Butter Chicken recipe I made recently so I used that for a richer flavor but you can also use plain curry. It's warmth is perfect for a crisp fall day!

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, cubed
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
16oz chicken stock*
1 onion, chopped
1 potato
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups apple sauce
1 tsp garam masala or curry
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream

*Vegetarians, substitute vegetable stock.

Directions
1. Place all ingredients, minus the sour cream, into a Crock-Pot and cook on low for 4hours.

2. Place cooked ingredients into a blender, add sour cream and purée.

Serves: 4-6

Homemade Caramel Dipping Sauce from Sweetened Condensed Milk

Did you know you can make your own caramel dipping sauce from sweetened condensed milk? Neither did I. But it's true. You can make caramel from sweetened condensed milk by just cooking it. It's cheaper than buying ready-made caramel sauce and more convenient since you can store cans of sweetened condensed milk in the cupboard until you're ready to make it into delicious caramel. This has long been a European secret and apparently the U.S. is just finding out about this. (Or at least I am! Ha!)

Enjoy it with ice cream, cheese cake, coffee or make caramel coated apples.

Since the fall season is upon us, I thought this was a great little secret to share. So, if you're in the mood to make some homemade caramel, here's how to do it:

Ingredients
14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Caramel Sauce
1. Place can of sweetened condensed milk in your Crock-Pot.
2. Fill your Crock-Pot up with water until the can is compeltely covered.
3. Cook on low for 6 hours or overnight.
4. Open the can and voilà! It's now delicious caramel!

Caramel-coated Apples
Wash apples then puncture them through the top with sticks of your choice. Aren't the natural sticks in the photo above cute and fun for a fall or Halloween-themed party? (Just make sure the sticks are nice and sturdy and you may need to sharpen the ends to a point with a knife). While caramel sauce is still warm, dip the apples in and completely coat them. Roll in nuts if you desire. Then place the apples, sticks facing up, on a sheet of wax paper and refrigerate overnight or until set.

Yield: Makes enough to coat 5 apples

Bacon Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Here's a hearty soup with Irish roots that calls for simple ingredients to produce a really rich flavor. You can make this in a Crock-Pot as well, just prepare the bacon and leeks and add them to the remaining ingredients in a Crock-Pot and let sit for several hours until potatoes are tender. The soup is good chunky, but if you prefer it pureed you can use a hand beater or a blender to get the consistency you like.

Ingredients
8 white potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb bacon
3 leeks, sliced
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
A hearty splash of Smithwick's Irish ale (more or less to taste)*
salt & pepper

*My husband snuck this in while I wasn't looking but it really adds some great flavor!

Directions

1. Peel and cube potatoes and place in a large stockpot with chicken broth. Boil until potatoes are tender.

2. Cut bacon into small chunks and cook until crispy. Drain and reserve 3-4 tbsp of grease.

3. Sautee leeks with the reserved bacon grease 8 to 10 minutes or until translucent.

4. When the potatoes are ready, stir in leeks, half & half, sour cream, beer and bacon. Use a hand beater to puree slightly. Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve hot topped with cheddar cheese.

Serves: 4-6

Things you'll need:
  

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Recipe

This is a really appetizing and filling low-carb meal idea: Start with the chicken salad and serve with a side of steamed or raw broccoli and low-carb bread toasted with a slice of cheese. I got this simple recipe from my cousin Meg after having it at her house. I don't normally like chicken salad, but this was so light and fresh tasting, compared to other chicken salad I've had, that I ended up asking her what was in it. I think it's the cranberries and walnuts that give it an nontraditional flavo.

Try it topped
 with fresh tomatoes

Ingredients

6-7 chicken breasts, shredded
1 cup mayo
1/3 cup dijon mustard

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 tsp paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
1. Boil or cook chicken breast in salted water, in a Crock-Pot until thoroughly cooked then remove and shred.

2. Add mayo, dijon mustard, cranberries, celery, walnuts and salt & peper. Best if chilled for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves: 6-8

Crock-Pot Jelly-Glazed Meatballs Recipe

This is the easiest appetizer recipe. Ever. I made these glazed meatballs recently for a party and they were so easy and very yummy. I made a smaller batch with meatless "meatballs" for my vegetarian friends. Both versions were popular. Even some of the meat-eaters tried and liked the vegetarian batch.

Ingredients
1 jar concord grape jelly
1 bottle chili sauce
3lbs frozen meatballs*

Directions
1. Toss all 3 ingredients into a Crock-Pot and cook on medium/high for about 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Doesn't get much easier than that!

*Vegetarians use meatless meatballs.

Crock-Pot Pulled Pork Recipe

One of my hubby's specialties is cooking large chunks of meats to perfection. Here's a simple pulled pork recipe that's great any time of the year. This recipe makes enough to serve a small group but you can also make it for dinner and use the leftovers to munch on throughout the week.

Ingredients
3 to 4 pork loins
1 (14.5oz) can condensed tomato soup
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 small container barbecue sauce

Directions
1. Combine pork loins, tomato soup, vinegar and brown sugar (use soup can to measure) in a Crock-Pot and fill with water to cover the pork loins. Cook 4 hours on low.

2. When cooked, remove pork and shred.

3. Add barbecue sauce and serve on kaiser rolls.

This pulled pork sandwich amazing great topped with homemade coleslaw dressing and served with a side of baked beans.

Serves: 8-10 people