Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Noodles

These looked so good, I had to try them! Everyone thought they were great over mashed potatoes. The noodles soften up faster than the recipe said, I will update my notes to reflect that.

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Noodles

Ingredients:

• 3-4 small chicken breasts
• salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and any seasoning blend you like on chicken
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 cans chicken broth (3 cups)
• 1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 package homestyle egg noodles

Directions:

1. In your crock pot, add you chicken and season with your desired seasonings.
2. Then add your cream of chicken soup, broth and frozen veggies.
3. Stir things together the best you can and cover with the lid to cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-4 or until your chicken is cooked through. 
4. Remove the chicken and either chop or shred before adding back to the crock pot.
5. Add your noodles and continue to cook until noodles are tender (the original recipe said to let them cook for 90 minutes, but mine were soft and done after about 30 minutes).
6. Stir and taste-test for seasonings.

Marsha's Notes:

I found that an hour and half for the noodles to cook was way too long. They were soft after about 30 minutes and the sauce was nice and thick. However, we weren't expecting to eat for another hour, so after sitting on warm in the crock pot for the additional hour until it was dinner time meant that the noodles and soaked-up just about all of the liquid in the pot. It was still good, but not the creamy consistency I had hoped for. 

One key to this "homestyle" type recipes is to get these homestyle egg noodles instead of the regular egg noodles.

Use this kind...

... not this kind.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Another good slow cooker recipe! We have been making a ton of slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes lately because they travel well to my mother-in-laws house.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 26 oz bag of frozen meatballs
• 10 oz can cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Steak Sauce
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp each of parsley flakes and onion powder
• 1 tbsp of minced garlic
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 12 oz bag egg noodles

Directions:

1. Add one bag of frozen meatballs to a crockpot. Next, add cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Steak sauce, and Dijon mustard.
2. Season everything with salt, pepper, parsley, onion powder, and minced garlic in a slow cooker. Add a small chopped onion and stir everything together well.
3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. After 4-6 hours boil 12 oz of egg noddles according to the directions on the package.
4. Add sour cream and 12 oz of cooked egg noodles to the crockpot and stir well. Top with dried parsley. Enjoy!!

Marsha's Notes:

I found that using both chopped onion and onion powder made for a rather potent onion taste, so I would next time just use one or the other. It also makes a huge difference on how strong the chopped onion is that you are using and how much you like onion flavor.

Tortellini "Mac and Cheese" Slow Cooker

This is a yummy variation on your traditional mac and cheese, only it is done with tortellini in the slow cooker! Quick and easy... done in about two hours! 

Tortellini "Mac and Cheese" Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

• 24 oz cheese tortellini
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 16 oz. block of Velveeta
• Sprinkling of garlic salt to taste at the end of cooking, if desired

Directions:

1. Place all your ingredients in the slower cooker and stir together as best you can.
2. Cook for about 2 hours or until the cheese sauce is completely homogenous and incorporated.
3. Stir at the one hour mark and check for how fast it is coming together. Cook times can vary depending on if you are using frozen or refrigerated tortellini. I would recommend cooking on low (for about two hours) for refrigerated and high (for about two hours) for frozen depending on how much time you have to let things sit. You could do frozen on low heat, but it will obviously take longer.
4. Add extra milk or extra cheese to get the consistency that you like. Taste test for seasoning.

Mississippi Pot Roast Slow Cooker

If you like roast, we thought this one was great. Easy prep. Lots of flavor. And optional heat for those that like it spicier. Enjoy!

I think one of the things that makes this a "Mississippi" pot roast (as opposed to just a more traditional pot roast) is the addition of the pepperoncini or banana peppers. Every Mississippi pot roast recipe I have seen calls for the addition of these, plus some of the juice from the jar they come in. They aren't too hot (unless you add a bunch) and add a nice flavor to the meat. However, the juice can be really salty, so be careful about how much you pour on, especially depending on the salt content of the other ingredients you choose to use.

That said, we aren't big on spice in our house, and after making this twice, our family really feels like we can just leave the peppers out entirely and still get a delicious roast that we all enjoy. So the choice is yours. For the sake of authenticity in calling this a "Mississippi" pot roast recipe, I am going to list the peppers, but just know that our family leaves them out.

Roast with the peppers, but no one in our house really wants to eat them, so when I shredded the roast, I picked them out.

Mississippi Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb. chuck roast
• 1/2-1 pkg ranch dressing/seasoning mix
• 1 pkg. Au Jus gravy mix
• 1/2 stick of butter
• pepperoncini banana peppers, sliced or whole, drained
• optional juice from the pepper jar

Directions:

1. Place your pot roast into the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle over with your ranch mix and au jus mix.
3. Top with your half stick of butter and any desired amount of pepperoncini peppers. You can also add some of the juice from the jar of pepperoncini if you want more flavor and heat, but be careful because it can be salty.
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the roast easily shreds.

Marsha's Notes:

There are a few additional, OPTIONAL steps you can do, if you want.

1. Use the drippings in the crock pot to make a gravy. You can do this anyway that you prefer to make gravy. I made some pretty easy gravy by pouring the drippings into a pan on the stove and then I took a brown gravy mix and whisked-in enough mix to the drippings that it thickened the way I wanted once everything came to a boil. It might have been 1-2 pkgs of gravy mix (a couple Tbl of mix), but I am not sure because I bought my gravy mix in bulk and just sprinkled some in, adding more as it came to a boil until I liked the consistency. You can serve the gravy on the side to pour over potatoes or the roast itself, but I have also just added the gravy straight to the shredded meat in the crock pot and served it that way. Then you can make a bed of potatoes on your plate and place the meat/gravy mixture right over the top.
• If your drippings are extra salty and your gravy mix is also salty, then you might want to instead make your gravy by melting some butter in your sauce pan first, then add equal parts flour to your melted butter and cook for just a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste (so if you use 1/4 cup butter, then do a 1/4 cup flour). Then slowly whisk-in enough drippings to your butter and flour roux mixture to get the gravy that you want, keeping in mind that as the drippings come to a boil, they will continue to thicken. With this method, you aren't adding any extra salt. 
2. Some people also like to sear the roast before putting in the crock pot. They might also season their roast with things like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder before searing.
3. Additionally, once your meat is seared, place it in the slower cooker and then use the drippings in the pan from the searing to sauté some onions. Once the onions are tender, add some minced garlic to your pan and cook for just a minute so as not to burn your garlic. Then deglaze the pan with some beef stock. Add your ranch and au jus packets to the skillet and heat until thickened. Pour everything over the roast in the slow cooker, then add your butter and pepperoncini peppers.

Easy Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes and Sausage

Tried this recipe and it was easy, tasty, and a nice change for our slow cooker rotation. Enjoy!

Easy Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes and Sausage

Ingredients:

• 28 oz bag frozen diced potatoes
• 12 oz package large link sausage of your choice, sliced or diced
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 ranch seasoning packet
• shredded cheese of choice

Directions:

1. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray.
2. Add your potatoes, cut up sausage, cream of chicken soup and ranch packet. Stir.
3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until everything is heated through and soft.
4. 10 minutes or so before serving, top with your desired shredded cheese of choice.

Marsha's Notes:

I used a package of chicken and diced them into smaller pieces, but you can cut them into rounds if you like and use any kind of sausage you want. You can also use the frozen diced potatoes that have peppers and onions in them.

Brazilian Feijoada (Slow Cooker)

One of the things that Scott remembers and loves from his mission to Paraguay was meaty beans, otherwise known as Feijoada. He found this recipe from Taste of Home and has been tweaking it over the years to make it perfect. I am not sure how it's never made it on the recipe blog before now, but here it is!

For the original recipe (which really isn't much like our recipe now), go here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/my-brazilian-feijoada/?srsltid=AfmBOoroKYPhyHjl0UJQjZXi9ojNtrUtxghPJZY-YQR5ACL4DNgVdbE1

Brazilian Feijoada

Ingredients:

• 1.5 – 2 lbs pork chunks (chili verde meats)
• 6 strips precooked bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 can chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ c. water (additional water may be needed)
• 3 cans black beans, drained
• 14 oz. Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage rope (precooked), cut into ¼-inch slices
• Hot cooked rice

Directions:

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan. Sear and cook pork chunks, bacon, and onion in the oil. When everything is nearly cooked, add the garlic as well. Dump the contents of the pan into a 6-qt slow cooker. Use a small amount of chicken broth to pick up the residue left in the pan; dump this into the slow cooker as well. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper, remaining chicken broth, and water. 
2. Cook on high, covered, for 2 hours. 
3. Stir in beans and sausage. Reduce heat to low and cook an additional 5-6 hours. Remove bay leaves. Serve over rice.

Marsha's Notes:

I made this recipe using our largest slow cooker, which has a small hole in the lid to insert a temperature probe. I don't know if it was because of this or something else, but by the end of the cooking time almost all of the water had either evaporated or been absorbed by the meat and beans. We serve this over rice, so if you want your feijoada to be more of a stew with some liquid to then absorb into your rice, you will need to add more liquid to your pot, as needed. Next time I make this, I am going to use 1 cup of water instead of just a 1/2 cup, and maybe an hour or two before dinner I will check the pot and see if I need to add any more liquid.

Done in the slow cooker.

We like to serve it over rice.

Meatball Subs (Crock Pot and Oven)

Our family picked up a super yummy meatball sub from Costco and I thought, "I can make that!" So here is my version. Enjoy!

Meatball Subs (Crock Pot and Oven)

Ingredients:

• small loaf of French bread or desired buns
• garlic butter
• 1 pkg frozen meatballs
• 2 jars spaghetti sauce
• 1 pkg. provolone cheese slices
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions: 

1. Spray your Crock Pot with non-stick spray and add your meatballs and ONE jar of the spaghetti sauce. Cook until meatballs are heated all the way through (a couple hours on high, or a little longer on low... probably doesn't really need to cook all day, as the meatballs are precooked).
2. Near the time you want to eat, pour your second jar of spaghetti sauce in a sauce pan to heat through. Serve each person a portion of the sauce in a small bowl for dipping.
3. Split your French bread loaf or other desired buns and spread the cut-side with garlic butter. Place on a foil/non-stick mat lined baking sheet and place under the broiler in your oven to toast. 
4. Once toasted, remove from the oven. 
5. Change the oven from broil to bake at 350. 
6. Assemble your sandwich by putting first a layer of provolone, then your meatballs with some of the sauce they cooked in, then a sprinkling of Parmesan, then a final layer of provolone. Top with the top portion of the bread. 
7. Cover the tray tightly with foil and place back in the oven until the cheese is melted, just a couple of minutes.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

A super simple, yet yummy spaghetti with some chicken for added protein to feel satisfied. Enjoy!

I found this recipe on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@cookinginthemidwest/video/7433439317583777066?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7439121840796157486

Crockpot Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder and Italian seasoning
• 1/4 red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 24 oz jar Marinara Sauce
• 15 oz jar Alfredo Sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 oz spaghetti, cooked
• Parmesan cheese
• Dried parsley

Directions:

1. Spray a crockpot with cooking spray. 
2. Add one pound of chicken breasts. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. 
3. Add 1 tbsp of minced garlic, marinara sauce, and Alfredo sauce. 
4. Cook on low for 4 hours. 
5. Once chicken is cooked, either pull it out of the pot and dice it up then put it back in, or just a hand mixer or a couple of forks to shred it up right in the pot. 
6. Add your mozzarella cheese and cooked spaghetti to the pot and stir everything up. 
7. Put the lid back on and leave it for a bit to let the mozzarella cheese melt, otherwise it is ready to serve.

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Sandwiches

This recipe was such a hit that Scott said he might even request it for his birthday! So that's just about all you need to know. The original recipe is from here: https://cookinginthemidwest.com/blog/crockpot-shredded-beef-sandwiches/#recipe

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb Chuck Roast
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 2 TBSP of steak sauce
• 12 oz of beer
• 1 heaping tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• Onion buns
• Mayo
• Pepper Jack cheese
• Crispy onions
• Chipotle aioli

Directions:

1. Season the chuck roast on all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat and sear chuck roast on all sides.
3. Put the seared chuck roast in a crock pot.
4. Add sliced onions, minced garlic, steak sauce, beer, beef broth, and the steak seasoning to the hot skillet stirring and letting it simmer.
5. Pour the onion/broth mixture over chuck roast in the crock pot and let cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred the meat and discard any extra fat.
6. Spread mayo on the buns and toast them in a skillet over medium low heat until they are golden brown.
7. Build sandwiches with the meat and Pepper Jack cheese. Top sandwiches with crispy onions and Chipotle aioli (I used store bought Kraft brand aioli). Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

I have really liked a lot of the recipes from Cooking in the Midwest, and this was another good one. The one difference we did was probably use more chicken, plus we added an extra jar of sauce because it was just not saucy enough for us. Otherwise, we followed the directions as listed. Here is a link to the original recipe, and here is our "two jar" version. Enjoy!

https://cookinginthemidwest.com/blog/crockpot-chicken-bacon-ranch-pasta/

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder
• 1 TBSP ranch seasoning
• 1 TBSP minced garlic
• 2-15 oz jars Alfredo Sauce, divided
• Cooked/chopped bacon 6 pieces
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 16 oz box of pasta

Directions:

1. Add chicken breasts to a crockpot.
2. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and ranch seasoning.
3. Add 1 TBSP of minced garlic and 1 jar of Alfredo sauce.
4. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
5. Shred or cube up the chicken and add it back to the crockpot.
6. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
7. While the pasta is cooking on the stove, add about a cup of shredded cheese and the chopped bacon to the crockpot. Stir well.
8. Add cooked pasta to the crockpot and stir everything together. If needed, add most or all of the other jar of Alfredo sauce.

Faux Rotisserie Chicken Crock Pot

If you need some rotisserie chicken but you don't actually have a rotisserie chicken, you can do this instead! It's yummy and easy.

Put as much chicken in the crock pot that you want to make, or go for a nice even layer in the bottom of the pot. Season to your liking with either a seasoning blend OR salt, pepper, ranch seasoning mix, garlic and paprika (I just go for a nice even coating on the top of all pieces of chicken). Cover and cook until easy to shred with a hand-mixer or forks (original recipe said 4 hours on low, but it just depends on how much chicken you are using and if it is fresh or frozen). No need to add extra liquid.

I used this in my Chicken Cobbler recipe for an easy dinner: https://1brother2sisters.blogspot.com/2023/03/chicken-cobbler.html

Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Everyone really liked this recipe, but I do have to go out of town to Walmart to get the Buffalo Wild Wing's garlic parmesan sauce, so that was just a tiny bit tricky to find... if you don't live near a store that carries it. Otherwise, I plan on making this again and again! Plus, it doesn't use the whole bottle, so I don't even have to go back to Walmart for awhile.

Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp each of paprika, onion powder, and Italian seasoning
• 1 TBSP minced garlic
• Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan sauce
• 1 jar of Alfredo sauce
• 1 16 oz box of pasta
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning to a slow cooker.
2. Add minced garlic and enough of the garlic parm sauce to fully cover the chicken (couple of TBL or so per chicken breast, spread over the chicken with a spoon until covered).
3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
4. Shred or chop up chicken.
5. Boil pasta.
6. Add Alfredo sauce, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese to the chicken in the slow cooker.
7. Stir everything together well.
8. Add cooked pasta to the slow cooker and mix everything together.

Marsha's Notes:

For my family, I did more chicken to make sure I had plenty, so I needed to adjust my seasonings for the added chicken.

French Dip/Shredded Beef Sandwiches- Crock Pot

Usually, when I do a French Dip in the Crock Pot, I just whisk up a packet of Au Jus gravy mix with water, dump it over a roast in the crock pot and cook it all day. However, my sister found this recipe to make your own sauce to put over a roast, and it turned out really yummy and could be a good replacement when you don't have any Au Jus but still want French Dip. Enjoy!

French Dip/Shredded Beef Sandwiches- Crock Pot

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs beef roast (tri-tip suggested)
• 2 Tbl Montreal steak seasoning
• 2 Tbl oil
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbl Worcestershire
• 2 tsp onion pwd
• 1 tsp garlic pwd
• 1 tsp dried rosemary

Directions:

1. Season beef all over with Montreal steak seasoning.
2. Heat a large pan on the stover to medium heat, add oil, and sear all sides of the roast until golden brown (2-3 minutes per side).
3. Place seared meat in slow cooker.
4. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over roast. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until meat shreds easily. Remove any excess fat from meat as you shred it. 
5. Serve warm on buns with Swiss cheese and extra juices (or Au Jus) to dip.

Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken

The chicken in this recipe turned out so tender and flavorful, I could just eat it by itself, but it is also tasty over rice with steamed veggies, fresh pineapple, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Flavor with extra teriyaki sauce if you need it for the veggies and rice. Enjoy!

See the original recipe here: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/crock-pot-pineapple-chicken/#wprm-recipe-container-96752

Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup teriyaki sauce
• 20 ounces pineapple chunks (drain half of the juice out) OR 1 small can pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Spray the crock pot with nonstick cooking spray and add chicken breasts.
2. In a bowl combine the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and pineapple chunks (with half of the juice) and pour over the chicken.
3. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes on top as desired.
4. Cook on high for 4-5 hours.
5. Shred chicken with two forks in the crock pot.
6. Serve over rice.

Marsha's Notes:

We decided that none of us were that thrilled with the pineapples chunks that had been cooked in the crock pot (Lucas said they just tasted like chicken...) and preferred to add non-cooked pineapple chunks to our plates instead, so we opt to use pineapple juice to cook the chicken in (one small can) or else just leave the pineapple chunks in the crockpot when serving the meat. It feels like a waste to not eat the chunks, so my preference is to use a can of juice when possible.

Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken

Another great recipe from Six Sister's Stuff. This creamy fiesta chicken has a very similar flavor profile to the taco soup recipe on this blog, only it is cheesier and thicker (because it's not a soup... go figure) so it works better for putting on top of nachos, dipping with chips, or putting in burritos or tacos. One change I made, I felt like with both the salsa AND the chopped onions, it was a bit heavy on the onion side, which is not my thing. But feel free to add the "1 diced onion" back into the recipe if you like.

See the original recipe here: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/slow-cooker-creamy-fiesta-chicken-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-133580

Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 15 ounces canned corn drained, (1 can)
• 15 ounces canned black beans rinsed and drained, (1 can)
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature, cut into pieces
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• optional toppings (salsa, olives, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, etc.)

Directions:

1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Top with corn, black beans, salsa, lime juice, taco seasoning, and dry ranch dressing mix. Add the cream cheese on top.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 6-7 hours on low heat (or high heat for 3-4 hours, but I prefer the "low and slow" method).
5. Shred the chicken using 2 forks (it should fall apart fairly easily; you can do this right in the slow cooker or remove the chicken and shred it on a cutting board if that is easier).
6. Stir the shredded chicken and the shredded pepper jack cheese in with all the ingredients until the cheese is fully melted and smooth.
7. Use this chicken for tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Slow Cooker Maple and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

I was looking for another good recipe for cooking pork tenderloin and came across this one for the slow cooker. We all really liked how the meat turned out. To see the original recipe, go here: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/slow-cooker-maple-and-brown-sugar-pork/#wprm-recipe-container-98472

Slow Cooker Maple and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup maple syrup  (cut in half if using pure maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme crumbled
• For Gravy:
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon cold water

Directions:

1. Sprinkle tenderloins lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Place pork in a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Combine syrup, garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, and thyme. Pour over the pork.
4. Turn pork to coat thoroughly.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

For Gravy:

1. Remove pork to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Pour the juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced juices and cook for 1 minute longer.
5. Slice the pork and serve with the thickened juices.
   

Marsha's Notes:

It made some pretty yummy meat, but for some reason our juices were a bit heavy on the mustard/vinegar side so we didn't use the drippings to make the gravy as recommended in the original recipe. I was also expecting it to be sweeter with a name like "Maple and Brown Sugar" so I don't know if I needed to up those ingredients to get the results I was expecting. That said, no matter what happened when we tried this, we all liked the meat. So...

Slow Cooker Ritz Chicken

We had this chicken over mashed potatoes with some corn on the side (or, in my case, I mixed the corn right in with the chicken and potatoes with a sprinkling of cheese and it was super yummy!) and everyone loved it.

To see the original recipe, go here:https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/slow-cooker-ritz-chicken/#wprm-recipe-container-91033

Slow Cooker Ritz Chicken

Ingredients:

• 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz Crackers
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tablespoon parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine the soup and sour cream in a bowl and set aside.
2. In another bowl mix together cracker crumbs and melted butter.
3. Place chicken in slow cooker that has been sprayed lightly with non stick cooking spray. Leave the breasts whole if you want to shred it later before serving, or cut your chicken into bite-sized chunks so you don't have to shred it later. (We did the chunks, and it was perfect.)
4. Spoon the soup mixture over the chicken and sprinkle cracker crumbs on top.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
6. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Marsha's Notes:

• I used one package/tray of chicken tenders from the meat department at our grocery store. They were frozen at the time, but I could thaw them enough under some running water to break the stuck-together tray of tenders in half so they would fit into my crock pot. 
• I sprinkled the meat with some salt and pepper. Then I put the sauce ingredients on top and left everything to cook on high for a couple of hours until I could stir the entire thing and get it in an even layer in the pot. At that point (maybe around noon) I added the Ritz mixture to the top and left it to cook for the rest of the day. Seems like once I noticed the edges of the pot bubbling, I turned things down to low until dinner time. 
• For the topping, I used two sleeves, or half of a 13-14 oz. box of crackers. They breakup easy enough that I didn't have to pound them with a rolling pin. I could just crush them up with my hands through the bag.

Before adding the topping.

After adding the topping.

Classic Minestrone Soup Crock Pot

We had this for dinner tonight and everyone ate their entire bowls. I did leave out the green beans, but that is just a personal preference. Chris will eat it, even with the white beans. (Chris doesn't typically like to eat beans.) You can also up the protein in this recipe by adding some cooked ground beef. To see the original recipe, go here:

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/classic-minestrone-soup/

Classic Minestrone Soup Crock Pot

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 
• 3/4 cup chopped celery, about 2-3 ribs celery 
• 3/4 to 1 cup chopped carrots, about 2-3 medium carrots 
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (48 oz. boxed broth)
• 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained (Great Northern white beans are about the same size as pinto beans, FYI)
• 1 cup small pasta, like shells, ditalini or elbow
• Sprinkling garlic salt to taste 
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until everything starts to soften and get a touch of color. Add garlic the last couple of minutes. 
2. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth to your Crock Pot. Stir in basil, salt, oregano and black pepper. When ready, add your onions, carrots, celery and garlic from the frying pan into the Crock Pot. 
3. Stir in the beans and cook on low all day. 
4. About 20 minutes before you want to eat, boil the pasta and add to the soup. Season to taste with garlic salt. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe makes 8 servings:

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 197kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1091mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 7g

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This soup turned out super yummy, but I think I loved the leftovers even more than when it was fresh. It called for a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken, but I didn't notice that it helped thicken the soup at all initially... so I even poured the soup out of my cock pot boil it on the stove to try to "activate" the cornstarch to try to make the soup thicken, and that didn't seem to help... but when we pulled out the leftovers and heated them, it was the perfect consistency! So... I wouldn't worry too much about the soup being "thick" initially because then it would probably congeal and get too thick for leftovers. Hope that makes sense. Just put the slurry in... it does what it does... and then let it be.

For the original recipe, click here:

https://www.nourish-and-fete.com/crockpot-chicken-gnocchi-soup/

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion chopped
• 3-4 medium carrots peeled and chopped, run through the Salad Shooter
• 1-2 stalks celery chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10-12 cranks freshly-ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 12 ounce cans evaporated milk
• 1 1 lb. package potato gnocchi (mini if you can find them)
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach, opt.
• 4 slices cooked bacon optional, to serve

Directions:

1. Place the raw chicken, chopped onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large crockpot or slow cooker. Pour chicken stock or broth on top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. (You can also add your bacon now if you want more bacon flavor in your soup, or you can have more mild bacon flavor by garnishing at the end.)
2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a thick slurry. Scrape that into the crockpot, along with both cans of evaporated milk and the gnocchi. Stir well to combine, then re-cover the crockpot and cook for another 20-30 minutes or longer. The soup should be slightly thickened (maybe); the gnocchi, tender.
3. Just before serving, stir in the spinach, if you are using it, and let it wilt for 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper or garlic salt, as desired. Serve with crumbled cooked bacon or fresh herbs for garnish. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Crack Chicken

*This recipe is only low-carb if you don't eat it on or over a carb. This could be good over steamed cauliflower or other veggies. You can also just eat it "as is."

We had this last night and everyone LOVED it! It was simple, tasty and made a lot, so it would be good for when you have company over. The cream cheese has a pretty strong tangy flavor, so I wouldn't recommend using a sharp cheddar unless you like a lot of strong cheese taste. We used our mixed blend shredded cheese and it turned out perfect for us.

See the original recipe here: https://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/crack-chicken/

Crock Pot Crack Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used a bag of 5 frozen breasts and were partially thawed and cut into faster cooking/smaller pieces)
• 1 oz packet ranch seasoning mix
• 2 packages cream cheese 8 oz each, cubed
• 2.8 oz bacon bits
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I used a cheese blend)

Directions:

1. Spray crock pot with non stick spray. 
2. Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of the crock pot. 
3. Top with ranch seasoning and cubed cream cheese. 
4. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on High for 4 hours. 
5. When cooking time is done shred the chicken with two forks. Then add the cheese and bacon. 
6. Stir to combine and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
7. Serve on buns or how ever you would like to enjoy it!