Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice

This was so easy and perfect for a cold fall day! (Sorry not the best picture)

You will need:

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 cups of wild rice, cooked

5.5 cups of chicken broth

Chopped celery*

Chopped onion*

Chopped carrots*

Butter

1/3 cup Whole wheat flour

garlic powder

onion powder

*I bought the pre-chopped mix of these three veggies at the grocery store to save a step.

Cook rice according to directions.  Melt butter in a sauce pan and brown the onions, celery and carrots. Add in flour. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add spices. Simmer broth mix for 2 minutes. Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and give it a few stirs. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.  The chicken should be tender and easy to shred in the slow cooker. Enjoy!

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Slow Cooker Italian Noodle Soup

Fall means soup weather, so I decided to join in on the fun.  There is nothing better than cooking in a slow cooker. Not only is it super easy, but the flavor after cooking something for five hours is incredible.  I'm told this recipe is similar to Pasta E Fagioli Soup at the Olive Garden.

You will need:

2 pounds of ground beef or turkey

One 28oz can of diced tomatoes, do not drain

One 16oz can of red kidney beans, drained

One 16 ox can of white kidney beans, drained

4 cups of beef stock

3 carrots, shredded

1 cup of chopped celery

1 onion, chopped

One jar of traditional spaghetti sauce. 

A few shakes of ground parsley

A few shakes of ground pepper

Even more shakes of ground oregano

A few squirts of tabasco or other hot sauce

8 oz of short pasta, like ditali 

Brown the beef and then combine all ingredients expect pasta in the slow cooker. Cook on High for 4-5 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.  Once it's almost ready, cook pasta according to directions, drain, and add to the soup. Stir everything together and you're finished!

** This reminded us of chili.  Add some of your favorite shredded cheese on top, if you dare!

Holy Smoked BBQ!

Nothing says fall like the smell of smoking meat. I came home Sunday for family dinner and the smell was in the air. First day of football ANNNNDDD smoked meat?? Yes please!  So my dad was smoking a few butts (maybe they were shoulders, I'm not really sure) and a rack of ribs for a few hours. I took home a few pieces and threw them in the crockpot with some apple cider vinegar to cook while I was at work. Did my apartment smell amazing or what?!

Smokin' on the grill

Look how it came clean off the bone!

TaDa!

Add one cup of apple cider vinegar. Cook for 10 hours on low in your favorite slow cooker. Remove from crockpot and shred with two forks. Put in a casserole dish or bowl and top with your favorite barbecue sauce. I used a locally made sauce, "Mini Malbons"

**One of Joe's favorite. He ate almost all of his in two seconds!