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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

  • Serves 6
  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
  • 3/4 cup dried wild rice, rinsed and drained
  • 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms
  • 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup dry long grain white rice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream or half and half
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREP: Place chicken and wild rice in Instant Pot. Pour broth over all. Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure release valve.

COOK: Select MANUAL and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When cooking is complete, use a natural release to depressurize. Press CANCEL.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, set aside. Add carrots, mushrooms, celery, onion, white rice, garlic, and thyme to rice mixture in pot.

Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure release valve. Select MANUAL and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When cooking is compete, use a natural release to depressurize. Press CANCEL.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones, discard bones. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken, whipping cream, and cream cheese to the pot. Select SAUTE and adjust to NORMAL. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through and cream cheese is completely melted and smooth. Press CANCEL.

SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley.

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Slow Cooker Lasagna

  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 3 cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce ( I would just make my own spaghetti sauce and not add the extra basil and salt in this recipe)
  • 2 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
  • 1 container (15 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 15 uncooked lasagna noodles
  1. Cook sausage and onion in skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil, and salt.
  2. Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)
  3. Spoon 1/4 of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with 1/2 of the cheese mixture and 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noddles and the remaining sausage mixture.
  4. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or until noodles are tender.
  5. Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  6. Makes 8 servings.
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Easiest Mashed Potatoes

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (I think this would taste great, but never have so I use 2 cups milk)
  • 3 Tbs butter
  1. Pressure cook potatoes. Put the potatoes in the Instant Pot and sprinkle with salt. Add the milk, cream, and butter. Lock the lid into place. Select Manual; adjust the pressure to High and the time to 8 minutes. After cooking, quick release the pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.
  2. Mash the potatoes. Using a potato masher or large fork, mash the potatoes into the milk mixture until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, you can remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon or skimmer and use a ricer to press the potatoes into the pot then stir to combine them with the cream and butter.) Season with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve.
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Stuffed Sweet Peppers

This is the recipe as I found it. I think you could substitute regular sausage, mozzarella cheese, and green peppers if you would prefer. I added the homemade sauce option since we never buy sauce.

  • 3 Medium sweet red peppers
  • 2 Medium sweet yellow peppers
  • 1 jar (14 oz) spaghetti sauce, divided (or homemade sauce)
  • 3/4 pound uncooked Italian turkey sausage
  • 3/4 cup uncooked instant rice
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 2 Tbs sliced ripe olives
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Cut tops off peppers, chop tops and set aside. Discard stems and seeds; set pepper cups aside. Reserve 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce; pour remaining sauce into slow cooker. Combine sausage, rice, cheese, onion, tomato, parsley, olives, garlic powder, salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, reserved chopped peppers, and spaghetti sauce.

Spoon into pepper cups; place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until peppers are tender. Yield: 5 servings

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Southern-Style Smothered Pork Chops

  • 2 Tbs. Seasoned salt
  • 1 Tbs. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 4 (8 to 10 ounce) bone-in pork chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, quartered through root end and sliced thin crosswise
  • 1-3/4 cups water
  • 1 Tbs. cider vinegar
  1. Combine seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper in bowl. Cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through fat on edge of each chop. Pat chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle each chop with 1 tsp. spice mixture (1/2 tsp per side)
  2. Combine 1/2 cup flour and 4 tsp. spice mixture in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of chops lightly in seasoned flour, shake off excess, and transfer to a plate.
  3. Using highest saute or browning function, heat oil in multicooker for 5 minutes (or just until smoking). Place half of chops floured side down into multicooker and cook until well-browned on 1 side, 3 to 5 minutes, return to plate. Repeat with remaining chops, transfer to plate.
  4. Stir remaining 1/4 cup flour into fat left in multicooker. Cook, stirring constantly, until roux is color of peanut butter, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onions and remaining spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until onions begin to soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in water, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Nestle pork chops into multicooker, adding any accumulated juices.
  5. To pressure cook: Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure cook function and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off mutlicooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
  6. To slow cook: Lock lid in place and open pressure release valve. Select low slow cook function and cook until meat is tender, 2 to 3 hours. (If using Instant Pot, select high slow cook function and increase cooking range to 4 to 5 hours) Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
  7. Transfer chops to serving dish, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Cook sauce using highest saute or browning function until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off multicooker. Let sauce settle, then skim excess fat from surface using large spoon. Stir in vinegar and season with pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.
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Steak ‘n’ Gravy

  • 1 pound round steak, trimmed
  • 1 Tbs vegetable oil
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • Hot cooked rice or mashed potatoes

Cut the beef into bite-size pieces; brown in oil in a skillet. Transfer to slow cooker. Cover with water; add tomato sauce and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and cold water to make a paste; stir into liquid in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 30 minutes longer or until the gravy is thickened. Serve over rice or potatoes. Yield: 4 servings

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Savory Chicken Sandwiches

  • 4 Chicken breasts
  • 1/2 envelope onion soup mix
  • 1/8 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/8 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 8 hamburger buns

Pace chicken in slow cooker. Sprinkle soup mix and garlic salt over chicken. Pour dressing and water over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Skim fat from cooking juices. Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces (or shred chicken). Return to slow cooker. Serve with slotted spoon onto buns.

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Crockpot Lemon Garlic Chicken

  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 lbs chicken breasts
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 Tbs lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
  • 1 tsp minced fresh garlic

Combine oregano, salt and pepper. Rub all of mixture into chicken. Brown in butter in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.

Place water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon cubes in a skillet. Bring to boil, loosening browned bits from skillet and pour over chick.

Cover, cook on high 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or low for 4 to 5 hours. Add parsley and baste chicken, cover and cook on high 15-30 minutes, until chicken is tender.

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Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces (we did chicken breast and it worked great)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons finely chopped peeled ginger root (we used like a teaspoon powdered ground ginger)
  • 2 Tablespoons garam masala
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken broth (the recipe for slow cooker calls for 1/2 cup and for the insta pot 1 1/2 cups, but we think it needed more sauce so I wondered if it was a typo on the slow cooker recipe since everything else was the exact same amounts)
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (if desired to thicken sauce)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, stems removed to garnish if desired

In 10-inch skillet, heat butter and vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon transfer to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Reduce heat to medium; add onions to skillet, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger root; cook and stir 2 minutes.

Add garam masala; cook 30 seconds.

Add tomato paste and salt; cook and stir 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, and scrape bottom of skillet with wooden spoon. Transfer to slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 5 to 6 hours. At last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in whipping cream. If you want a thicker sauce add the cornstarch to the whipping cream and beat with a fork. (We didn’t do that and it seemed fine, but we will add more chicken broth next time so you might need it)

Top with cilantro leaves. Serve over rice, if desired.

1 Tablespoon grated ginger root = 1/8 teaspoon ground

1 teaspoon minced = 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground depends how much you like ginger. Dad doesn’t so I did less.

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Crockpot Nachos

2-4 chicken breasts, frozen (depends how much chicken you like it is great with a lot or a little)

1 can drained black beans

1 can drained canned whole kernel corn

1 (15 ounce) jar salsa (recommend medium)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Note:

When we double the recipe we don’t double the cream cheese and it works great.

Cooking Directions:

Take chicken, frozen, yes, frozen boneless chicken breasts and put into crock pot.

Add corn, black beans, salsa.  Dump right on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken forks apart.

Add cream cheese (just throw it on top) and let sit for about 1/2 hour.

Serve with tortilla chips or just eat with a spoon.  You can also put over rice.

Great cold the next day.  Or warmed up of course.