Slow Cooker Meals: Split-Pea Soup

Crock-pot Split Pea Soup

-Kim Wilson

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 hambone, or 2 meaty hamhocks, or 2 c. diced ham
3 carrots, peeled & sliced
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery plus leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 1/2 quarts hot water

Layer ingredients in slow cooker, pour in water. DO NOT STIR. 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Serve garnished with croutons. *Freezes well. Cover and cook on high

Slow Cooker Meals: Holly's Chili

Holly's Chili

-Holly Nielsen

1 lb. ground beef, optional

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 rib celery, diced

2 large garlic cloves minced or crushed

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles

1 (15.5 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained (note below if using dried beans)

2 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans

2 cups beef broth

2 bay leaves

2 TBS. ground chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (for a milder chili omit black pepper, for a hotter chili add an additional 1/8-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes)

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 TBS. dark brown sugar

IN a skillet brown the beef then set into your slow cooker. Add diced celery, onion, and garlic. Stir in your drained beans, crushed tomatoes and green chiles. Stir in the broth, bay leaves and seasoning and brown sugar. Cover and turn slow cooker on high for four hours. Stir on occasion.

Top with sour cram, cheddar, fresh diced onion, or chopped cilantro. Serve with corn bread.

*If using dried beans soak over night or use quick soak method. Use 5 1/2 cups of soaked beans for this recipe.

Strawberries & Cream Bread

Strawberries & Cream Bread (Strawberry or Blueberry)

-Christina Sorensen

A wonderful recipe using fresh strawberries from Netherhill Strawberry Farm in Australia. This recipe also yields a tried and true (and reviewed) great Blueberry & Cream Bread.

1¼ hours | 15 min prep

SERVES 10 , 1 slice

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (use if you want a sweeter bread)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups strawberries, fresh & coarsely chopped (do NOT use frozen) or fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In small bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beat 1 minute or until light and airy. Add brown sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla.
3. Stir into flour mixture only until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Fold in strawberries and nuts.
5. Pour into a greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.
6. Bake at 350°F for 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let stand 10 minutes in pan.
8. Turn out on rack to cool.

Slow Cooker Meals: Garlic Chicken Farfalle

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

-Karen Baxter

16 oz. Farfalle pasta

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)

1 Tbl. pepper*

1/2 cup butter

1 lb. bacon, crumbled**

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 (12 oz) Lawry's mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. I you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven 400º. Way less messy and it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple ( I totally wear disposable gloves for this part - surprise, surprise.)

Directions:

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. IN a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Slow-Cooker Meals: Green Chile Chicken

Green Chile Chicken

-Jamie Cook

Chicken breasts (3 or 4)

2 tsp chile powder

1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 cup diced onion

1 4 oz. can diced green chiles

3/4 cup chicken broth (this is optional if you are using frozen breasts since they have extra broth added. I don't usually add it, but it may need just a little.)

1/2 cup sour cream (add at the very end)

Optional: 1-2 cans great northern beans or other white beans

Cook in crock-pot for several hours until chicken is done. We like it shredded and served on tortillas with anything else that sounds good (black beans, cheese, sour cream) or serve over rice.

Organic Short Grain Brown Rice

This is a picture of the Brown Rice package that Jenn Iverson brought. You can find it at Costco (I bought a package from the Waltham Costco, yesterday) The Brown Rice is $11.34 for 12 lbs. at Costco and it's ORGANIC!

Slow Cooker Meals: Cuban Braised Beef and Pepppers

Slow Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

-Jen Iverson

From Real Simple Magazine

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 10m

Total Time: 8hr 30m

Ingredients:

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds

1 cup long-grain white rice (I used Lundberg Organic Short Grain Brown Rice from Costco*)

1 avocado, sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

2. Twenty-five (45 for brown rice) minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.

3. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

Nutritional Information:

Calories 556; Fat 17g; Sat Fat 5g; Cholesterol 56mg; Sodium 883mg; Protein 44g; Carbohydrate 55g; Fiber 7g

* The Brown Rice is $11.34 for 12 lbs. at Costco