Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 (8 ounce) jar medium salsa
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pinch salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

Arrange the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker, and pour in the salsa and tomato sauce. Add the garlic and onion, and sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Set the cooker on Low, and cook until the chicken is very tender, 4 to 5 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks for serving.

Source: AllRecipes.com

Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 (1-inch thick) slice of lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• cracked black pepper to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and use your fingers to loosen the skin over the breast and thighs.
2. Stir butter and lemon pepper in a small bowl and insert seasoned butter beneath the loosened skin using a teaspoon. Push butter from spoon using the skin. Place lemon slice and garlic cloves into the chicken cavity.
3. Place chicken into a slow cooker. Rub skin with olive oil and sprinkle seasoned salt, thyme, and cracked black pepper over the bird.
4. Cook on High for 3 hours; reduce heat to Low and cook until chicken is very tender and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching bone, reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 2 to 3 more hours. If desired, cook bird on Low setting 6 to 8 hours.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/

Slow Cooker Pork Ramen

 
Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 equal pieces
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (if including the optional browning step)
• 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 leek, halved lengthwise and coarsely chopped (white and green parts)
• 1/4 pound cremini or button mushrooms, brushed clean and coarsely chopped
• Low-sodium soy sauce, for seasoning
• Sesame and/or chile oil, for seasoning
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh ramen noodles
• 8 large eggs (optional)
• About 4 green onions, finely chopped (white and pale green parts)

Instructions 
 
To cook:

1. Season the pork with salt.
2. This step and the next are optional: Put a flameproof slow cooker insert on the stovetop over medium-high heat, then add the oil and warm until hot. (Or, use a frying pan for this step). Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the pork pieces and sear them on the first side without moving them until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pieces and sear on the second side until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the insert and return the insert to medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and sear, without stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and 1 cup of the broth and deglaze the insert, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the insert bottom, then let simmer for 1 minute.
4. If you have included the browning step, transfer the insert to the slow cooker, add the leek, mushrooms, and the remaining 7 cups of broth, and stir to combine. If you are starting here, combine the pork, yellow onion, garlic, ginger, leek, mushrooms, and broth in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low-heat setting for 8 hours. The pork should be very tender and the broth should be fragrant.

To assemble:

1. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Using 2 forks, break the pork into bite-size chunks, removing and discarding any large pieces of fat. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the solids. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard any fat from the surface of the broth. Return the pork and broth to the slow cooker and season to taste with soy sauce and sesame and/or chile oil. Cover and cook on the low-heat setting for about 30 minutes to warm through.
2. Cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. If you want to top each bowl of ramen with an egg, put the eggs into boiling water and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water, let cool until they can be handled, and peel them.

To serve:

1. Divide the noodles evenly among individual bowls. Ladle the broth and pork over the noodles, dividing them evenly, then sprinkle with the green onions. If desired, top each bowl with a halved soft-boiled egg and serve right away.

Source: Chowhound

SLOW COOKER CASHEW CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
• 2 chili peppers, de-seeded and chopped, optional
• 1 bunch bok choy (Chinese cabbage), cleaned of dirt
• 1 cup cashews, toasted
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch or all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Directions

1. Place cornstarch (and salt and pepper) in a large, resealable plastic bag and add chicken cubes. Seal bag and shake vigorously so chicken is coated thoroughly in cornstarch.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 2-3 minutes, per side, or until browned, then transfer to slow cooker and add bok choy (and peppers, if using).
3. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, chili sauce, sesame oil and ginger together until combined.
4. Drizzle sauce over the chicken and bok choy and toss together to combine.
5. Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Add cashews during the last 30 minutes of cooking or right before serving. Note: or HIGH for 1 1/2-2 hours.
6. Transfer to plates and serve hot with rice or noodles. Enjoy!

Source: 12 Tomatoes

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

for the lasagna soup:

• 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs, with breasts cut into 2" to 3" pieces
• 3 c. chopped onions
• 16 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1 c. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 c. chicken stock
• 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 28-oz. can tomato sauce
• 2 to 3 T. tomato paste, to taste
• 1 to 3 T. brown sugar, to taste
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

to finish the soup:

• 8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
• 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2" cubes (or substitute "Cheesy Yum" from original Lasagna Soup recipe)
• additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• freshly shaved Parmesan, optional

Directions:

* Please note that this recipe makes a large batch of soup. You will need a large slow cooker. This soup recipe totaling about 5 quarts.

Add chicken pieces to slow cooker. Then add lasagna soup ingredients, onions through salt and pepper. Stir gently to incorporate, cover, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until chicken is cooked and tender. Remove chicken pieces to a cutting board and chop into bite sized pieces, or use two forks to shred. Return chicken back to slow cooker. Taste and then season with additional kosher salt and black pepper if needed.

About 20 minutes prior to serving, cook the pasta in a pot on the stovetop. Add pasta to a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon of salt added. Cook just until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain, return pasta to pot, and cover to keep warm.

To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls. Stir in some of the pasta and fresh basil. Top with fresh mozzarella cubes. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and fresh Parmesan, if desired. Serve with warm fresh bread.

Source: AFarmGirlsDabbles.com

Easy Slow Cooker Ham

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 pound) bone-in country ham
• 30 whole cloves
• 3 cups apple cider, or as needed
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 orange's peel

Directions:

Press whole cloves into the ham so they are evenly distributed. You may score the ham for easier insertion if you wish. Place the ham in a slow cooker. Pour in apple cider until only about 2 inches of ham is above the surface. Pack the brown sugar on top of the ham, pressing into the cloves. This will get washed away in the next step but any that stays on is a bonus.

Pour the maple syrup over the ham. Season the apple cider with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves and vanilla. Add the orange peel to the pot. Fill the slow cooker as full as you can with apple cider without going over the fill line. Cover and set to Low. Cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Source: allrecipes.com

Daria's Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Source and full recipe: allrecipes.com