Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

I love my grocery store because they are always sending me coupons so whenever I get a mailer from them, I'm sure to scan through it to see if they might be discounting a pantry staple or some other frequent used item for our home.  Recently they sent a flyer with some coupons that also included a recipe for this corn chowder.  I was intrigued by a few things.  First, it was made for the slow cooker and since it's getting cooler out, my slow cooker will be making even more frequent appearances for dinners.  Second, I had a ton of corn in the fridge as the farm kept loading our CSA box with more huge ears of corn every week.  And third, this recipe uses the naked corn cobs to flavor the soup, so it ends up with this deep, roasted corn flavor that is really delicious.  Corn chowder isn't something I otherwise would have thought to make with all those extra ears of corn, but I'm certainly glad my penny-pinching side scanned through that mailer because this dish is definitely tasty.

Shredded Taco Chicken

You will kick yourself for not figuring out how easy and delicious this is.  I did.  Super simple to put together, makes a ton so it's great for a crowd, and versatile for not just tacos but any dish where you would want to add some seasoned shredded chicken.  I had some of this shredded chicken on hand and thought about using it in my Skillet Chicken Nachos a few weeks ago, which would have made that quick dish even quicker.  Much as we love spice and heat, I actually enjoy that this shredded chicken is seasoned just enough, inviting you to put it on a taco and top it with sauce, salsa, jalapenos and all kinds of other goods.  I've made this a handful of times in the past year, including last year's Cinco de Mayo party that centered around a make your own taco/burrito bar.  I'll freeze leftovers for a quick weeknight meal, too.  Just a few ingredients, a slow cooker and a few hours later, you've got the best tasting shredded chicken for some mighty fine tacos.

Chicken Taco Stew

This is a favorite that I've been making for years.  It's simple to make, delicious, filling and fairly healthy until we ruin it with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.  And while it's perfect without all the garnish, it gets that much better with the fanfare.  Beans, corn, tomatoes, and onion combine with seasoned chicken to create a chunky bowl of yum.  There's not enough liquid to consider this a soup but a little too much to be a chili, and the chunks just beg to be scooped up with chips.  This chicken taco stew makes frequent appearances for pot lucks, parties and for delivery dinners for friends in need.  Crock pot meals don't get much simpler than opening a few cans, chopping an onion, adding some seasoning and tossing some chicken on top.  And it just makes the kitchen smell so good.

Hearty Beef Stew

Winter just will not quit.  Supposedly we're getting some more snow today.  For a winter season that was slow to start, it's proved to hit New England with a vengeance in February and March.  I'm just hoping we don't get another April Fool's storm like we did a few years ago.  The moral of this story?  Even though it's technically spring, it's still the season for comfort food and this stew is exactly that.  I almost named this CSA Stew since it's chock full of beef, red and yellow potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and onions from a recent farm box.  And can we talk about how good the house smells while this cooks?   I put it on in the morning and when I came home from work, I couldn't get over how amazing and inviting the scents from the kitchen were as they wafted through the house.  Thick, perfectly seasoning, and probably the most delicious way to get your veggies, this stew will help you forget about the remaining foot of snow in your yard.  And warm you up from the frigid winds and cold night temperatures.  At least for a little while.

Crock Pot Cheesy Potatoes

A perfect side dish!  Toss it together and forget it all day while these cheesy delights cook and are ready when you come home.  Perfectly tender, well-seasoned and lightly coated in a melty cheese topping, these potatoes pair well with chicken, pork, meatloaf or just about anything.  I actually ran two crock pots for this meal--one with a lovely chicken dish and the other cooking up these lovely gems for a hearty, complete meal that literally took 10 minutes to make.

Pizza Chili

Pizza. Chili.  Yes, that's two perfect dinner smooshed together to make a perfect meal.  A perfect Chili with lots of pizza flavor.  I made this when we had friends over and it was gobbled up with just enough left over for Dave to have lunch the next day.  We love a good chili and this one will certainly be in our regular chili rotation.  The mozzarella on top gets gooey and melty, just like a good piece of pizza.  I served it up with beer bread, which went perfectly, but any sort of crusty bread would work.

Crock Pot Country Chicken (& Cream Soup Alternative)

This is comfort food.  Warm, cozy, hearty and lots of flavor.  All the veggies cook up so tender in the juices and there is so much flavor in that chicken.  Served over rice with lots of juice, the meat is so tender we didn't even use knives.  This was pretty quick to prepare for the crock pot, too.  Just some veggie prep, add the meat, seasoning and soup and your are good to go.  But I didn't just use a can of cream soup.  I found a dry mix that you can prepare in batches and then mix up as needed, removing all the preservatives and other question marks you might have about what really is in that can of soup.  So many crock pot meals require cream soups and I will consciously decide not to make them because sometimes I don't want processed food (it leaves me more room for the chocolate and butter-laden goodies I make here).  So consider this post a two-for-one: you'll get this lovely chicken and veggie dinner that is super simple as well as an easy homemade mix that you can substitute for cream of chicken soup in your favorite recipes.

Beef with Broccoli

Homemade takeout and made in the slow cooker?  Yes and please. My parents never liked Chinese food, so growing up, I never had it. The first time I tried it was when a friend took me out for my birthday in high school and suggested I try it.  I ordered the beef with broccoli and it quickly became my favorite.  Now, instead of ordering it every time I go, I can have it at home whenever I want!  I love how the broccoli cooks in this sauce, but still has a bit of a crunch, even after sitting in the crock pot for a while.  The sauce is perfect and the addition of sesame oil really gives it that authentic flavor.

Crock Pot Mac & Cheese

Uh, yes.  I did.  And it's a-maze-ing.  Plus, it's still a true crock pot meal because everything, including the pasta, cooks in the crock pot over the course of the day. This is a beautiful cheesy pasta with a crust from cooking in the stoneware of the crock pot all day.  We loved this.  I made it for a casual dinner party with friends and it was a big hit.  Plus, you can customize the heck out of this--add diced ham or bacon, maybe tuna, some veggies and play with the cheeses to your heart's content.  If you've got a family that loves mac and cheese (or could eat it all by yourself), you'll love this dish.

Creamy Chicken Chili

Well, if I'm going to do a week of crock pot meals, you know you're going to get some chili from me.  And this chili is a little bit different, full of delicious flavor and, of course, easy to make.  The creamy sauce pairs well to cut the heat from the chiles and the chili powder, plus the chicken is a nice change from beef chili.  I made this recipe when my Dad came to visit and he liked it so much I sent him home with it so he could make a batch at home.  It's perfect for a chili evening or watching some playoff football (not that I particularly care about playoff football this year, sigh, but some people might).

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

The thing with winters in New England is that it's dark before I leave work, it's so cold that I stay bundled up in the car for my hour-long drive home, and all I want to do when I go home is curl up on the couch under a blanket and next to the fire.  Except Dave expects this thing he keeps calling "dinner" and I guess I should probably eat something too.  And that is why I love my crock pot.  Not only does it mean that dinner is done before I even walk in the door, most of these recipes have few ingredients, are quick to toss together in the stoneware, and usually end up with flavor so delicious, you'd think you spent hours cooking (when really the crock pot did all the work).  Which is why this week, I'm bringing you a week's worth of crock pot meals, new favorites for us, to help make your winter months easier too.  Starting with this pork tenderloin with a surprise ingredient (soy sauce) that might be the best I've ever made.  The soy sauce is an evident flavor, but not overpowering.  It's just about the last flavor you taste when you sop up the juices with this tender pork that just falls apart and melts in your mouth.

Chicken Enchilada Chili

I love recipes that encompass many of my favorite things, like Mexican flavors, comforting chili and using my crock pot.  This chili is full of flavor and easy to make, plus it makes the whole house smell like yum as it cooks away all day.  The perfect meal for a crisp fall night, especially a busy weeknight, since you can toss everything in the crock pot in the morning and have dinner on the table quickly in the evening.

Bean & Cheese Burritos with Crock Pot Refried Beans

Lovely refried beans from scratch, made in the crock pot no less, and a delicious bean and cheese burrito perfect for lunch.  Easy, delicious, and wholesome, knowing everything that's going into these recipes, what's not to love?  Super filling and full of flavor, this a is a great recipe.  You can make it in two parts, starting the beans a head of time and either freezing or refrigerating them until you are ready to make the burritos.  Or make just the beans and use them for some other fun recipe, like a warm bean dip or as a side for enchiladas or some other fun dish.

Through a weird twist of fate, I was again assigned to Heather from Fit Mama Real Food for this month's Secret Recipe Club.  Since I posted Heather's hummus in May, she has welcomed her beautifully adorable Hunter.  But before he came along, Heather loaded her freezer full of quick meals for her and her husband to help keep them fed and happy while caring for their new little bundle.  While I thought about going back to some of Heather's recipes that caught my eye last time I spun through her blog for Secret Recipe Club, I stopped at Heather's post on stocking her freezer because she posted a refried beans recipe.  Not only that, but she posted something to do with the great big quantity of beans (freezer burritos!) and I knew Dave and I would love these.  You know our devotion to Mexican food and I thought these burritos would be perfect lunches for me to take to work or easy for Dave to grab and heat up when he has a busy day working from home.  So it's a two-for-one post thanks to Heather's perfect bean recipe and her excellent way to consume those beans!  I thought these were perfect as is, but definitely adapt the burritos to your liking (maybe a little less beans and toss in some shredded chicken). 

Crock Pot Banana Bread

It's summer.  It's hot.  You'd like to be a good little baker and whip up a tasty banana bread for your family or to share with friends, but, like I said, it's hot.  Turning on the oven is about as appealing as snuggling under a blanket in wool pajamas right now.  What to do?  Well, you could use your crock pot.  I know, the idea of using a crock pot to bake is mind-blowing (my mind was totally blown), but it absolutely works and the result is a perfect bread with a moist crumb, baked through and without the wet, sticky crust you might think would happen.  There's good flavor in this bread, which could be adapted by adding nuts if that makes your heart sing.  I brought this to a meeting at work and shared leftovers at home.  Madaline just about fell off her chair when I told her I made it in the crock pot and she's been patiently waiting for me to post the recipe!

I found this recipe on Pinterest from Maggie at Smashed Peas and Carrots and just had to try it.  It comes together just like any quick bread.  Only the baking method is different.  I did add a bit of cinnamon and baking spice to the batter for an extra flavor kick.  It didn't occur to me at the time, but a teaspoon of vanilla would likely go a long way too.  I also attempt to create a crust on top using cinnamon sugar.  What I didn't realize was that as the bread bakes in the crock pot, it bakes over the top of itself, so the cinnamon sugar topping ultimately became a tunnel of cinnamon sugar inside the bread itself, which was definitely not a bad thing.  In fact, it's give me some ideas for future crock pot bread with tunnels of flavor inside.  You have to try this, if for no other reason than to impress your friends that you baked tasty bread in the heat of summer without ever turning on your oven.

Boston Baked Beans

There's something about baked beans that just screams summer.  They are a backyard barbeque staple and perfect with just about any barbeque main dish.  Especially hot dogs.  Warning: these beans are so good your hot dog bun might just become a delivery vehicle for beans.  Sweet but still spiced and loads of smoky flavor from the bacon, these beans beat anything that comes in a can.  And yet they are still easy because you make them in your crock pot!  Beats heating up the kitchen on a hot summer day.  Throw this together in the morning before your cook out and go about the rest of your business, by the time the burgers and dogs come off the grill, these will be perfect and ready for your picnic buffet.

Stephanie, my source for all things crock pot over at Crock Pot 365, shared this recipe with adaptations for bacon or sausage.  She went the sausage route, but there's just something about bacon that just makes me (and Dave) smile.  Plus it's more traditional for Boston baked beans.  I used a 4 quart crock pot and pinto beans, rather than kidney beans.  My ingredients picture shows 2 big cans of beans, but the quantities listed are based on Stephanie's recipe.  But this can be easily adapted to make more beans if your gathering is large.  We make these beans often and you'll definitely enjoy these for your summer gatherings.

Crock Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

It's really not much for looks but oh, does this ever taste good.  The juicy chicken blending with creamy, melty Swiss cheese and sweet ham, covered in a seasoned bread coating, this meal is perfect comfort food.  Served over a bed of egg noodles, it's just perfect.  Plus easy since it's a crock pot meal.  When Dave's parents, Madaline and Ernie, came home earlier this month, Dave and I were both off to work when they arrived.  I wanted to have something at the ready for dinner, so I put this together in the morning, plugged it in and by the time we were all got home, the kitchen smelled great and dinner was a pot of boiling water away from being on the table.  No plated meal pictures this time around--it was just a mess, but a delicious and very satisfying mess is was!

Dave is a huge fan of chicken cordon bleu, but it's a lot of work.  I don't really make breaded chicken and then to stuff it and then bread it--ug, that sounds like work.  I don't want to work when I cook.  So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I pinned it before I even read the recipe!  And then I made it immediately (ok, well, like 3 days later, but still).  Nikki at Chef in Training posted this and it's just too easy and too delicious not to try.  I used a little less stuffing mix because my store had 6 ounce boxes (not 8 ounce--weird), and I probably used a little more ham and cheese because I wanted to completely cover the chicken breasts.  I probably should have used a bigger crock pot so I could have just one layer, but I didn't realize my chicken breasts weren't going to fit until I'd already gotten started.  Next time, I'll go with the 6-quart crock pot.  Because everyone loved this, so there will absolutely be a next time!

Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken

Remember earlier this month when I mentioned that Dave and I don't exist on sugar and butter alone?  Well, here's the proof--I actually cook real food from time to time.  And my favorite way make real food is to use my crock pot.  I super dooper love my crock pot.  It's so easy to throw a meal together in the morning or the night before and let my crock pot make dinner while I'm at work or busy with other stuff.  Plus is makes the house smell so good.  And this recipe is a perfect way to make a beautiful meal in just a few minutes.  I've never actually roasted a chicken in the oven because it's just too easy to do it in the crock pot.  The lemon and garlic in this recipe are complimented by the herbs and the meat is juicy and completely falls apart.  A little messy for a pretty table presentation, but tasty and easy nonetheless.

A friend of mine turned me onto Stephanie O'Dea's blog a couple of years ago when Stephanie challenged herself to use her crock pot every day for a year and blog the recipes.  While I'm not quite as hard-core as Stephanie, there are currently 5 crock pots in my house and I've been known to run more than one (or two) at a time.  Stephanie has a lot of wonderful recipes for crock pot beginners and more experienced cooks.  Since I didn't have any fresh rosemary I used dry, but otherwise I followed the recipe, right down to skinning the chicken first (with all the butter I go through, I do try to cut the fat and calories when possible).  I served this with jasmine rice and green beans for a simple dinner that was both healthy and tasty.