Crockpot Pesto Chicken Pasta

Coming out of the shadows with this gem of a recipe because I loved it that much!  

Enjoy!

Crockpot Pesto Chicken Pasta

    1.5 lbs Chicken - About 3 chicken breasts

    Salt & Pepper

    8 oz Jar Pesto

    1/2 Cup Butter

    1 Small Lemon

    Sun-Dried Tomato, diced (optional)

Add chicken to crockpot.  Salt and pepper lightly, spread pesto over chicken, juice lemon over chicken, and lay slices of butter on top.  Can add extra minced garlic and diced sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.  Cook on low 6 hours - do not open lid while cooking.

    1 lb Dried Rotini Pasta

    1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated

    2 Cups Mozzarella, shredded

Near the end of the chicken cooking, boil pasta al-dente and drain.  Shred chicken with two forks in crockpot, then stir in cooked pasta and parmesan.  Once pasta is coated with sauce and chicken is mixed in well, top with mozzarella and cover for 10-15 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Serve and enjoy!

InstaPot Beef Stew

Such a great recipe I adjusted for the InstaPot!  You could certainly make it in a crock pot or on the stove as well!  All of the vegetable measurements are adjustable to your liking; not everyone is a fan of lots of carrots.  Note; leaving the potatoes and carrots in bigger chunks helps keep them from falling apart while cooking.

Enjoy!

InstaPot Beef Stew

2-3 lbs Beef Stew Meat (cut in 1" cubes)

1/4 Cup Flour

2 Tsp Salt (I use coarse garlic sea salt)

1 Tsp Ground Pepper

2 Tsp Smoked Paprika

2 Onions, diced

1 lbs Potatoes, peeled & chopped

1 lb Carrots, chopped in large chunks (a bag of baby or about 4-6 large carrots)

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 1/2 Cups Beef Broth

2 Tsp Worcestershire

1 Bay Leaf (remove from soup before serving)

2 Tbsp Cornstarch

2 Tbsp Water

1 - 12 oz Bag Frozen Peas

Mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika and shake in bag with meat.  Place in floured meat in bottom of pot and add everything but the last 3 ingredients listed.  Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then let natural release at least 10 minutes (longer won't hurt it).  In small dish, whisk together cornstarch and water.  Open pressure cooker and stir in cornstarch slurry to help thicken stew while it is still bubbling.  Stir in frozen peas, cook for a few minutes, and then serve.

Note:  This can also be done in the crockpot on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

Kelly's Buffalo Chicken Chowder

To say I have a family of GREAT cooks is an understatement!  It should be no surprise I learned most of my skill from my mother, grandmother, and all the other wonderful cooks and bakers we enjoy in our family.  My cousin Kelly is no exception!  She lovingly shared this recipe for all of you today!  The recipe below serves 4 - feel free to double, triple, or more as needed!  She also pre-made the soup and then warmed in a crock-pot the next day.

Enjoy!

Kelly's Buffalo Chicken Chowder
Adapted from Closet Cooking

2 Tbsp Butter
1 lb Chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Cup Onion, diced
1 Cup Celery, cut into small pieces
1 Cup Carrot, cut into small pieces
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp Flour
3 Cups Chicken Stock
*Hot Sauce, to taste (I used 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot sauce)
1 Large Yukon Gold (or other boiling potato), peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Cup Heavy Cream (I used half and half)
1/4 Cup Blue Cheese, crumbled

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add chicken and saute until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.  Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Add garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about a minute.  Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Add hot sauce and potatoes, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, mix in the cream and blue cheese and remove from heat when the cheese has melted.

Chicken Taco Soup

Who doesn't love a meal that practically makes itself?!  I first had this wonderful crock-pot meal over a year ago at a women's retreat and have been making it ever since.  I finally remembered to snap a few pictures quick so I could share with all of you over here!

Enjoy!

Chicken Taco Soup

1 Onion, chopped
1 - 16 oz Can Chili Beans
1 - 15 oz Can Black Beans
1 - 15 oz Can Corn, drained
1 - 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 - 12 oz Bottle/Can Beer
2 - 10 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (Rotel)
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
3 Whole Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breasts
Optional Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Crushed Tortilla Chips, etc

Put onion, beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning in crock-pot.  Stir until blended, then lay chicken breasts on top, pushing down until just covered by soup mixture.  Turn crock-pot on low, cover, and cook for at least 5 hours.  Remove chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks and put back in crock-pot, stir and cover.  Continue cooking on low for at least another 30 minutes to 2 hours.  Served topped with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Pineapple Sweet 'N Sour Meatballs

Saying my kids love these would be an understatement.  Saying they're time consuming would be a lie.  Not trying them yourself would truly be a shame.  That all said, these really come together quick OR you can throw them in the crock pot and have 'em ready when you get home.  I use frozen meatballs, but you could make your own as well.  Throwing the sauce together and simmer time take about the same time as boiling up the long-grain white rice I serve this over.  If you have a busy night coming - make these ahead, freeze and then cook up some minute rice while you're reheating.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Sweet 'N Sour Meatballs

1 - 2lb Bag Frozen Pre-Cooked Homestyle Meatballs
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 - 20 oz Can Pineapple Tidbits

In medium bowl, whisk together water, vinegar, ketchup, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, and juice from pineapple.  Pour sauce and pineapple pieces over frozen meatballs in large saucepan - bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20+ minutes.  Serve over rice.

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

I discovered this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen - I needed a crock pot meal for a busy day and this definitely fit the bill and won us over!  We had ours with rice and loved it!

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

6 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 Bottle Italian Dressing
8 Oz Cream Cheese
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

Mix together in bowl; cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and Italian seasoning until combined.  Cover and set in fridge.

Next, take frozen chicken breasts and put in the bottom of a large crock pot - cover with the Italian dressing.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  When chicken is finished, drain remaining liquid and place chicken back in crock pot.  Shred chicken with a fork.  Cover with the cream cheese/soup mixture - cook on high for 30 minutes or until completely heated.  If in a hurry, you can preheat the cream mixture in the microwave before pouring over the chicken to save a step.

Serve over any kind of pasta or rice.