crock pot meals are something i really enjoy. the scent of food cooking in a slow cooker is so enticing and knowing i don't have to scramble at 5:30 to find something by 6:00 is relieving. i look through cookbooks, blogs, and "real" sites, using, tweaking, and adapting the recipes i find to fit my food inventory and what my family likes. i've inevitably had a few bad outcomes, like a cranberry dump chicken... blegh! but a whole chicken in the crock pot has never failed me yet. incredibly tender, the chicken falls off the bone! and what's even better is that we can easily get 3 or 4 meals out of the bird.
remember how i like to hide vegetables in my cooking to get the extra nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, etc. into my family? this was an excellent way to repurpose the previous night's roasted squash as the base for a sauce for my side dish of rotini. who doesn't like their chicken with a little noodle? am i right? read on for the complete recipe. it was so good, i dug in before i took a picture of the finished product... sorry!
slow cooker lemon garlic chicken
this recipe could easily be altered for an oven - just budget a minimum of 1.5-2 hours, depending on the size of your bird.
ingredients:
- 3-4 lb. whole chicken, giblets removed, rinsed, and patted dry
- 2 C water
- 2 t instant chicken bouillon
- 2 T minced garlic
- 4 T lemon juice
- 2 t thyme - this herb compliments lemon very nicely
- 2 t parsley
- 2 t garlic salt
- 1 t peper
preparation:
- as mentioned, removed giblets, rinse, and pat dry the bird
- place into your crock pot
- heat water briefly and add in bouillon, minced garlic, lemon juice and pour over bird
- now add seasonings to bird; if you added them before the liquids, they would just wash off
- set the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5
notes:
- i highly recommend using fresh lemons for their juice and to add the slices into the crock while cooking, but i rarely keep them on hand so bottled lemon juice is my go-to for this recipe.
rotini with creamy squash
i find i "match" my side dishes to the main dish, using as many similar tastes, like herbs and seasonings to help tie the meal together. you could very easily make this without already having leftover squash or using another vegetable mash like potatoes or carrots. it did make preparation a lot quicker, though. you could make this with a roux, too; but as i mentioned early on, i like "hiding" vegetables and this is a perfect opportunity to do so.
ingredients:
- 1/2 an acorn squash, roasted or steamed
- 1/2-3/4 C milk
- 1/2-3/4 C liquid from crock pot
- 1 T butter
- same seasonings as bird, but in your desired amount
- 8 oz. noodle of your choosing - minihe picked rotini although i was thinking penne
preparation:
- boil noodles according to package directions, but just until al dente - you will finish cooking them with the addition of the sauce
- while that is going, mash your squash
- mix together squash, liquids, and seasonings in a large 2 cup measuring cup or small bowl
- drain noodles
- add sauce and cook down until reduced to your desired thickness - i think it took mine only 2 minutes
- add butter and serve immediately
with a basketball game this last week that i had the joy of taking minihe along to, i planned ahead with a crock pot waiting for us with this winter favorite. a special thank to my fil (father in-law) for actually getting out the crock pot and starting it up for me since i forgot!! :)
i looked at probably ten different recipes for this kind of soup and found everything on the spectrum - things that were incredibly rich and incredibly bland; different ways to increase the thickness and creaminess. i finally decided on the following hybrid. i did all of the prep monday night while waiting for my shrimp to cure in their marinade so all i had to do in the morning was turn the crock on.
broccoli cheese soup with potatoes - slow cooker:
prep time - 30 minutes
cook time - 8-10 hours (on low) 4-5 (on high)
ingredients
3 heads broccoli, trimmed and chopped into small chunks
4 carrots, peeled and cut on the angle
*the angle cut is probably not necessary but i think it looks nice when i eat soups that way in a restaurant, so when in rome, right?
1 medium onion, finely diced
10 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
*i happened to have both red and yukon, so i used 5 of both and, as you can see, they are fairly small
*you could also use other vegetables like celery, corn, peppers...
*i bet bacon would be good in this, just make sure to fry it first and crumble it in, reserving a few pieces to crumble fresh when you serve the soup
1 C velveeta cheese, cut into 1" chunks
1 1/2 C milk
2 C chicken or vegetable broth
*i didn't want to use sour cream, cream cheese, creamed soup, more velveeta, or more milk to save on some extra calories, fat, and so on, but i did need some more liquid... see preparation for how i plan to make the soup creamy without the use of these ingredients
2 T butter
s&p
other choice of herbs/seasonings you enjoy
preparation:
throw everything in the crock pot
cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5
when done, remove approximately half of the soup and let cool slightly
place in small batches in the blender, and run until smooth
add back to the crock
serve and enjoy!
let me know if you have any recipes similar or what you do with a soup like this. i think had i had more time, this would have been delicious with some seasoned croutons or oyster crackers... i'll be trying that next time!
