Guinness Pulled Chicken - total time 5 minutes prep & 4 hours cook

Pretty sure this could not get any easier!  I came home for lunch the other day and threw all these ingredients in my slow cooker in about two minutes... went back to work and then came home and dinner was ready to eat!  I may have to do this every time I come home for lunch.  The chicken is so tender.  I think the bed of onions might be the trick though.  Maybe having the chicken lifted away from the pot makes it taste better.  Or maybe the onions are caramelized on the bottom.  Or maybe it is the mix of ingredients for the sauce.  Whatever it is, it is the perfect mix...

Spinach Tortellini Soup - 5 hours (slow cooker)

Feeling a little under the weather and that calls for some soup (good thing we had a soup in this week's menu!).  Basically this recipe slow cooks a flavorful stock and then you add in the main ingredients toward the end so they don't get mushy.  I can't believe I used to only eat chicken noodle or tomato soup when there are so many options to try!

32 oz vegetable stock
1 package cheese tortellini
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups spinach, chopped
5 tbsp cream
.5 cup milk
basil, oregano, thyme
1 tsp chili pepper
shredded parm
salt and pepper

1.  Combine chopped onion, minced garlic, herbs, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper into slow cooker.  Cook on low for four hours.
2.  Add tortellini, cream, milk, and spinach cook for an additional hour on high.
3.  Sprinkle shredded parm on top before serving.

Cinnamon Applesauce - total time 6 hours

Another apple recipe that you do a little prep work and forget about it while it cooks.  Of course I put cinnamon and sugar in my applesauce... I can't get enough of that flavor.  Mmmm...

8-12 apples, chopped
.5 brown sugar
1 tbsp nutmeg
6 cinnamon sticks
3 tbsp butter
1 lemon, juiced

1.  Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Turn on low for six hours.  Fish out any remaining whole cinnamon sticks.  That's it!  Enjoy warm or chilled.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli over Rice - total time 7 hours (20 minutes of work)

Chicken, steamed broccoli, and rice seems like the epitome of a low lat, plain jane meal.  Spice up the ordinary with this creamy variety made in a crockpot.  Definitely much more flavorful!

1 head of broccoli

1 pound of chicken

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche)

.5 cup fresh mozzarella

salt & pepper

1.  Cook chicken in chicken broth, salt, and pepper in your crockpot on low for six hours.  Shred the chicken with forks and add back to the crockpot.  Add chopped broccoli, sour cream, and mozzarella and continue to cook.

2.  Prepare rice according to package.  Check on chicken and broccoli; if soupy, add some flour.  Once mixture has thickened, serve on top of rice and enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken - total time 8 hours (10 minutes of work)

For about the same cost of a package of free range chicken breast, you can get a whole free range chicken! Then you'll have chicken left over for salads, sandwiches, etc (we used some for quesadillas too).  Using the crockpot makes it an easy set it up and forget about it kind of meal.

1 whole chicken (remove any insides)

2 tbsp butter

.25 cup chicken broth

herbs - rosemary and oregano

spices - paprika, salt & pepper

1.  Put a couple of pads of butter on the bottom of the crockpot.  Pour in broth.  Place chicken in crockpot and distribute herbs and spices over top.  Cover, turn on low, come back in eight hours!

It literally falls off the bone... I picked up the chicken and half of it stayed in the crockpot!

Chicken Tortilla Soup - 10 minutes + slow cooker

A great soup and super easy to just throw the ingredients together and let the crock pot do the work.  I came home for lunch, threw it together, and dinner was ready when I got home!!

2-3 chicken breasts

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced

30 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp smoked paprika

.5 sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

1 handful tortilla chips, slightly crushed

.5 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1. Add chicken, garlic, onions, tomatoes, broth, red pepper flakes, and paprika in crock pot and stir.  Turn on low heat and let cook for five hours.
2. Fish out chicken and shred on cutting board with two forks.  Add chicken back to crock pot with sour cream.
3. Scoop out into bowls and add tortillas, green onions, and cheese on top.

 soup before - soup after

 the chicken shreds easily after cooking in broth for several hours

Turkey Meatballs - 15 minutes + slow cooker

I made this as part of my Italian birthday dinner for my mom.  I was able to let it cook while I was at my nephews birthday party... came back and I was half done making dinner!  Stuffed shells, zucchini sticks, salad, and garlic bread rounded out the menu.  Super easy and really moist, tender meatballs.

1 pound ground turkey

.25 cup breadcrumbs

.25 cup grated parm

1 egg

fresh basil, rosemary, oregano - divided

5 garlic clove, minced - divided

salt & pepper

30 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1. Add turkey, breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, 1 clove of garlic, and 75% of the fresh herbs and salt & pepper into a medium bowl.  Combine together and roll into balls.

2. Add crushed tomatoes, remaining garlic, and herbs to crock pot.  Stir and add meatballs.  Cook on low for five hours.

3. Serve or add cooked spaghetti noodles and then serve!