Everyday Food for Busy People
Does this ever happen to you? You know dinner is going to be chicken because you’ve got a pack of boneless breasts/thighs/tenders or bone-in legs/breasts/thighs. But you have no desire to think up a recipe to turn them into dinner.
You don’t need a recipe. You just need some ideas.
Here are 10 ways (plus a few cooking methods) to get you started. [Read more...]
Stir fry is a cooking method that can’t really be replicated in a slow cooker.
But you can make a pretty good fake!
I’ve made this recipe twice now. It’s easy and quick to fix. The chicken gets cooked in stir fry sauce for several hours. The veggies are added later, so they don’t get mushy.
No ingredient photo this time. I was in a big hurry both times I’ve made it. [Read more...]
These may be the best carrots I’ve ever eaten. They were perfectly cooked in the slow cooker and the butter and honey glaze made them taste scrumptious.
I love the idea of these as a Thanksgiving side dish. They can be cleaned and cut the day before. Then it’s just a matter of popping them in the slow cooker and turning it on.
I made 1 pound of carrots and it fed 5-6 people. It would be easy to double or even triple the amount.
Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more...]
Chicken and Dumplings is one of my family’s favorite meals, but I don’t always have time to make the homemade version. This time, I decided to try a reader suggestion for super-quick dumplings.
The secret is flour tortillas. It doesn’t get easier than that. And I even used frozen chicken tenders, skipping the thawing. Those two time-saving steps make this meal a breeze.
Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more...]
I was so excited to find Quaker Steel Cut Oats on the grocery shelf the other day. They were over a dollar less expensive than the brand my store usually carries, making them pretty affordable. I like to use steel cut oats in the slow cooker, because they hold up better.
I wanted to make something more interesting than a normal bowl of oats, so I checked out the Quaker site. Lots of recipes over there, but none for steel cut oats. I couldn’t believe it!
Since I didn’t find any recipes, I created my own. Actually, the idea comes from Good Life Eats. Katie created Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal using old fashioned oats. I didn’t follow her recipe, but the idea came from her.
Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more...]
This recipe was created simply by standing in front of the pantry and pulling out a few likely ingredients. I needed something that would be ready to eat when we got home, with minimal fuss required.
Oh, and I only had about 3 minutes to get it fixed and get out the door. Ever have a morning like that?
Here’s what I used to make these Sloppy Chicken Tacos, but please feel free to alter as needed. I really don’t think you can mess this up. Put in whatever you have that sounds good to you. Experiment! [Read more...]
I’m on a roll with slow cooked desserts. This apple crisp is an adaptation of my Apple Crinkle.
I decided to give it a whirl in the slow cooker and it turned out beautifully. I dressed it up a bit with a handful of dried cranberries and chopped pecans.
My mouth is watering as I write this post. I must make this again soon!
Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more...]
Thank you so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes for my mom yesterday! She loved reading them and so did I. You all are the absolute best group of folks on the entire internet!
This recipe works like magic. You combine a few pantry staples, put it in the slow cooker and a few hours later…ta da!
You end up with chocolate cake with fudgy sauce!
I’ve seen this recipe on several blogs lately. Traditionally, it’s baked in the oven, but I really wanted to know if it would work in the slow cooker. It does!
Let me show you what you’ll need: [Read more...]
This is a recipe that will be made often in my house. My kids have been asking for it again already.
I first saw the recipe when Mary from Giving Up on Perfect linked it for Ingredient Spotlight. I’ve since spotted it on Pinterest several times. This soup is fantastic! And it’s easy too.
I made just a few minor changes to the way Mary fixed it. I doubled the recipe, which made a lot. It completely filled my 6 quart slow cooker. Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more...]
I ran across a recipe for Chicken Shwarma on the blog, Jersey Girl Cooks. Lisa roasted her chicken in the oven and it looks fabulous. But being the lazy cook that I am, I decided this would work in the slow cooker.
Hot dog! I was right! My family loved this meal and I know I’ll be making it again.
I only made minor alterations to Lisa’s recipe. I changed the cooking method and more than doubled the recipe so it would feed my family. I never could find tahini, so I served it with cucumber-yogurt sauce instead. If I ever find tahini paste (Walmart, are you listening?) I’m going to try Lisa’s sauce.
Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more...]
