Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy

Here's a super simple way to make turkey and gravy if you only need to serve about 6-8 people or less.  Maybe you live away from family and are having a small Thanksgiving meal. Maybe you have to work on Thanksgiving so you don't have all day to tend to and baste a perfectly roasted bird. Maybe you have only a few people that like turkey and the rest want ham. This is a great way to free up the oven and make turkey and gravy all at once!  I made it this week with a small 3 lb. turkey breast as an easy weeknight meal.  Based on this recipe, here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy

Ingredients:

- 3 T butter

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/3 c. Flour

- 3 c. Chicken stock

- 2 sprigs Rosemary 

- 4-5 sage leaves

- 1 t. Thyme (dried or fresh)

- 1 bay leaf

- salt and pepper, to taste

- 3-8 lb turkey breast (bone in or boneless)

- 2 T. Cornstarch

Creamy Ham and Wild Rice Soup

Call me crazy, but I jumped at the opportunity to host Easter less than a week after we moved in to our new house.  I was eager to show the house to everyone and it made for a great excuse to make sure my kitchen was painted ASAP.  I used this ham glaze from the Pioneer Woman and IT WAS AWESOME!!  Everyone really liked it, but as usual, I over-cooked so we had a good amount of leftovers.  Based on a Betty Crocker recipe, here's how I used some of the leftovers to make a soup for my mom, grandma, and aunt who came to visit a few days later.  It was a big hit, too!

Creamy Ham and Wild Rice Soup

Cook in a lined or greased slow cooker over low heat for 7 to 8 hours:

- 2 c. chopped cooked ham

- 1 c. chopped carrots

- 2-3 small red potatoes, sliced

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 2 c. chicken stock

- 1 can low sodium cream of celery soup

- 3 c. water

- 1/2 c. wild rice

- 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

add last 15-20 minutes before serving:

- 1 c. half-and-half

- 2 T. dry sherry, optional

- 1/4 c. sliced almonds

- 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

printable recipe
And here's some cute kiddo pics to look at while you're waiting for your soup to cook:

Slow Cooker Cilantro Ranch Fajitas

I decided that I had to sneak in one more recipe in my kitchen before moving day.  We've had too many good meals there not to.  Obviously, I had very little left in my kitchen to work with, but with a slow cooker, tiny cutting board, and a knife, I was able to make up a batch of fajitas before work today.  I went through the fridge and the few pantry items left and created this Working Mama Meal.  Here's how Mama makes it (for the last time in our first house):

Slow Cooker Cilantro Ranch Fajitas

Ingredients:
- 1 pkg chicken breasts (1.5-2lbs), sliced
- 2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large (or 2 small) onions, thinly sliced
- 2 T. cilantro paste (or about 1/3 c. fresh)
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 pkg fajita seasoning
- 1 pkg ranch seasoning
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 c. chicken stock (start with about 3/4 c. and add more as needed)
serving suggestions:  tortillas, sour cream (or nonfat greek yogurt), hot sauce, fresh cilantro, jalapenos

Directions:

1.  Slice the vegetables and chicken into thin slices, place in a lined slow cooker.

2.  Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours.  Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.

Printable recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/makingmamaskitchen/slow-cooker-cilantro-ranch-fajitas

I decided to just type this up on my phone and post it before it's even done cooking.  Emma woke me up early so I had plenty of extra time this morning.  I doubt I'll actually remember to take a photo of the finished fajitas, or have anything but a paper plate to stage it on anyway.  See reasoning below :)

See ya'll soon in Mama's NEW kitchen! (as soon as it's no longer John Deere Green colored...)

Slow Cooker Easy Enchilada Casserole

Here's a recipe so simple that I made it at work! I was midway through my 13 hour shift, when the craving for Mexican food hit me. Since I can't actually leave the pharmacy when I'm here, but have a whole grocery store at my disposal, I decided to improvise.  The result was filling, delicious, and provided lots of leftovers for the family to eat the next day. Here's how this working Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Easy Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
- 1 can Rotel (I found this awesome Mexican style one with lime and cilantro)
- 1 can red enchilada sauce
- 1 c. chicken stock
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 c. brown rice**
**I intended to use just brown rice, but ended up finding this quinoa & brown rice blend. It was delicious and I'd totally use it again (especially since I didn't want to deal with an open bag of brown rice at work).
***You could easily add some chicken thighs to this recipe and shred with a fork.

Directions:

1.  Place all ingredients in a lined/greased slow cooker, stir to mix, cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high for 3 hours.

2.  Give it a good stir and serve warm (Michael and Annalyn added shredded cheese to it when they ate it leftover).  Would also make a great base for grilled chicken. (sorry, didn't get a picture of the final product - I also don't get actual breaks, so I usually end up eating on the run at work)

printable recipe

Cider Wassail

Here's a recipe that's near and dear to me. I originally made this drink with my grandma back in grade school after telling her about how we made it in school. We decided it would be the perfect addition to our Christmas dinner at the cabin. Decades later, this warm, spicy holiday drink still reminds me of Christmas with my family.

Now I know it's a little early to start the Christmas posts, but this drink is just as much a part of fall as winter. A warm apple cider all jazzed up with citrus and spices. Served warm and garnished with a cinnamon stick, it's perfect for a cold fall day.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Cider wassail

Ingredients:

- 2 qts. Apple cider

- 2 c. Orange juice

- 2 c. Pineapple juice

- 2 T. Lemon juice

- 2 T. Honey

- 1 T. Brown sugar

- 2-3 cinnamon sticks (plus more for serving)

- 1 T whole cloves (or a dash of ground)

- 1 orange, 1 apple (cut into rounds)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Serve warm.

(Alternatively, bring to a boil in a large stock pot, then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 min.)

printable recipe

Lentil Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa

And my sweet potato obsession continues with these hearty fall-inspired stew.  Packed with protein and great fall flavors, this stew is sure to warm you up on all these wonderful fall days ahead of us. Here's how Mama makes it:

Lentil stew with sweet potatoes and quinoa

Ingredients:

- 5-6 c. vegetable stock

- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

- 1 1/2 c. Lentils, rinsed

- 4 medium carrots, chopped

- 1/2 c. Quinoa, rinsed

- 1 onion, diced

- 4 cloves minced garlic

- 2 t. Garam masala (see my recipe here is you can't find this in your spice aisle)

- 1 t. Curry powder

- 1/2 t. Cinnamon

- 1/2 t. Ginger, ground

- 1/4 to 1/2 t. Cayenne pepper

- 1/2 T. Salt

- 1 T. Sugar

Optional add-ins:  fresh cilantro, chopped baby spinach (either or both would be good, I just didn't have any at the time)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender.  Add salt at the end as needed. 

printable recipe

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

Have you ever had chili with sweet potatoes in it?  Yea, me neither, but I couldn't help but try it! So without further ado, here's the recipe for the yummy, belly-warming, fill your house with the best smells ever, sweet potato chili. The recipe I originally used was from Taste of Home, but I'm going to include my changes for this post.  Although we really enjoyed it, Michael and I both agreed that it'd be better with beef or simply as a vegetarian chili.  For some reason, the combination of chicken and sweet potato just didn't do it for us. But, that is how the original recipe was written, so make it however you prefer.  Either way, it's the perfect Fall soup. Here's how Mama suggests making it:

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:
- 3-4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
**protein of your choice:  1 lb chicken thighs (cubed), 1 lb ground beef (browned), or a 3rd can of beans
- 3 c. chicken stock
- 1 jar salsa (24 oz.)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 T. chili powder
- 1 t. ground coriander
- 1/2-1 t. ground cinnamon (I like a lot!)
serving suggestions:  plain greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, corn chips

Directions:
1.  In a greased and/or lined slow cooker, combine all ingredients.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours, until chicken and sweet potatoes are tender.  Serve with cheese, yogurt (or sour cream), and chips.

 

 

printable recipe

Slow Cooker Shredded Flank Steak Stew

Here's a rich, flavorful stew (based on this recipe from EatingWell.com) that's super easy to make and only gets better as leftovers!  Sounds like a working mama win to me!  We ate it as soup the first night, wraps for lunch the next day, then over rice the third day (because who wants to eat the exact same meal three times in a row?).  There is a decent amount of prep work due to all the chopping/slicing veggies, but they can all be cut up the night before and tossed in the next morning.  It smells absolutely divine while it cooks and tastes great to boot.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Shredded Flank Steak Stew

Ingredients:
- 3 lb. flank steak, cut into thirds
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
- 2 T. cumin
- 1 T. salt
- 1 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. cayenne, optional
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- handful baby carrots, sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 1 can tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel type tomatoes - I didn't have on hand but I think it would've made a good addition)
- 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
- for serving:  jalapenos, sour cream/greek yogurt, fresh lime wedges, tortillas (it makes yummy wraps!), rice (also very good served over rice).

Grape Jelly Turkey Meatballs

Here's a quick and simple recipe that's sure to become a tailgate favorite.  In honor of Butler's homecoming (which sadly I'll be missing this year since I have to work), here's a 3 ingredient staple of any tailgate or football watching day.  Go Dawgs!!  Here's how Mama makes it:

Grape Jelly Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

-1 package frozen turkey meatballs

- 1 small jar grape jelly

- 1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)

The Return of Chili Season!

For the first time in awhile, I actually waited until official Fall to make a big pot of chili.  Usually the first day under 70 degrees, I get excited and go for it, but with all the wedding craziness in the past month, I had lots to distract me.  So imagine my excitement over this delicious chili on the third day of Fall. 

In our house, we make all kinds of chili.  A couple of our favorite (and most frequently made) ones are chicken chilies (like this and this one), but this time I decided to make a good old-fashioned beef chili like both of our mamas always made.  Well, sort of...  I started with a good old-fashioned typical chili base - beef, tomato, beans, onion, and chili powder, but added some Eddie favorites, too.  We have unique tastes in our household, so green/black olives, garden jalapenos, and a little Cajun seasoning were also involved.  All three of us LOVED it!  Here's how Mama makes it for her loves:

Family Favorite Beef Chili

Ingredients:

(8 WW pts per 1 c. serving)

- 1 lb. ground beef (5% or less fat)

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 T. minced garlic

- 1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded

- 7 oz. can chopped green chilies

- 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

- 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

- two 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

- two 2.25 oz. cans sliced black olives

- 1/3 c. sliced green olives

- 2 c. chicken stock

- 1/4 c. chili powder

- 2 T. Cajun seasoning

- 1 t. cumin

Serving suggestion:  top with small amount of reduced fat shredded cheese (may affect WW pt values)

Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler

Here's a quick and easy dessert idea that won't leave you in the kitchen while entertaining.  As an added bonus, it will make your house smell AMAZING!  We served this at a dinner party with some of Michael's family recently and it was a big hit.  I loved having dessert already made, but still fresh and warm.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler 

Ingredients:
makes 8 generous servings
- 1 quart apple pie filling (or 4 c. sliced apples, 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon)
- 2 c. Bisquick mix
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 c. milk
- 1 t. cinnamon

Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes & Olives

Here's a good example of being flexible.  This recipe, originally taken from this one on epicurious.com, combines some of our favorite things.  Spices, check.  Olives (al-la as Peanut calls them), check.  Artichokes, check. It was one I absolutely couldn't wait to try, but in the middle of a bathroom remodel, there was no way I could spare a good hour to prep and cook it.  Meals are not so planned and methodical when doing house projects.  So, in a moment of Mama superpower, I decided to toss it all in a slow cooker and hope for the best!  We ended up serving it over pasta we had on hand since my parents made it in time for dinner and we needed to stretch it out a bit.  Honestly, it was delicious even on its own.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes & Olives

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt & pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 t. turmeric
- 1/2 t. ground cumin
- 1/2 t. ground coriander
- generous pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cinnamon stick, or 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1 t. grated lemon zest
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 1 c. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/2 c. pitted green olives
- optional:  2 T. cornstarch and 2 T. water to make a thicker sauce

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Here's a recipe I've seen circulating around lately and just had to try!  There are several versions out there (all pretty similar), but this one came from www.foodiewithfamily.  The flavors of this dish are so simple and yummy and that you will not believe it came from a slow cooker.  Not to mention, it just looks pretty, and who doesn't love pretty food?  It was a hit with my family and with such simple ingredients, it's sure to please even your pickiest eaters.  With minimal prep time, it's perfect for a weekend of house projects or a toss together working mama meal.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/2 c. diced onion
- 3/4 c. honey
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/3 c. ketchup
- 1 T. canola oil
-1 T. toasted sesame oil
- 1 T. ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic (about a spoonful)
- 3/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 t. cornstarch
- 1/4 c. water
- sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and rice for serving

Crockpot Red Curry Lentils

Here's an amazing recipe from Pinch of Yum - Red Curry Lentils.  The flavors and texture are excellent and the smell is divine!  Not to mention, it can all be thrown in a slow cooker and feeds an army.  Like most curry recipes, it's great as leftovers and Annalyn LOVES it!  This will definitely become a regular at our house.

 

Crockpot Red Curry Lentils

 

 

Ingredients:

- 4 c. regular brown lentils

- 2 onions, diced

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 T. minced ginger

- 4 T. butter (optional)

- 5 T. red curry paste

- 1 T. garam masala

- 1 1/2 t. turmeric

- 2 t. sugar

- a few good shakes of cayenne pepper

- 2 cans tomato puree (29 oz. each)

- 1 t. salt plus more to taste

- 1/2 c. coconut milk or cream

- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (keep some for garnish)

- rice for serving

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken & Rice

Here's a working mama meal so easy and semi-homemade that I made it at work!  Simple ingredients, bold flavors, and very little prep time required.  It was AWESOME!  (Photos taken on my iPhone).  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken & Rice

Ingredients:

- 1 can cheddar cheese soup
- 2 c. milk
- 1 c. brown rice
- 2 pkgs. precooked diced chicken
- 1/3 bottle buffalo sauce
- 1 pkg. ranch seasoning
- 1/2 c. chopped onion (I even found pre-chopped onion)
- crock pot liners are a must at work!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Here's a Pin-spired way to make delicious buffalo chicken without the greasy, fatty breading.  By using a dry ranch seasoning packet in the mix, you don't even need the high calorie dressing! Plus, it's super easy.  Toss the ingredients in a slow cooker, and you're done!  Serve this yummy chicken over rice, in a salad, as a wrap, or on a bun.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 c. buffalo sauce
- 1/4 c. chicken stock
- 1 pkg dry ranch seasoning
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot (or handful of baby carrots), chopped or shredded
- 1/4 c. onion, chopped

for wraps: (7 WW pts each without the cheese)
- 8 tortilla wraps
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- lettuce
- bleu cheese crumbles or shredded cheese, optional

Slow Cooker Broccoli Mac 'n Cheese

Here's a healthy version of everyone's favorite comfort food - macaroni and cheese.  By adding broccoli, using evaporated milk and non-fat sour cream, and reducing the amount of butter, you can greatly reduce the fat and calories.  On top of that, it's made in a slow cooker without cooking the noodles first.  How simple is that?!  I'm officially in love with this dish!

Slow Cooker Broccoli Mac 'n Cheese

Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 c. whole grain macaroni, shells, or elbow pasta
- 12 oz. fat-free evaporated milk
- 2 1/2 c. skim milk
- 1 can broccoli cheese soup
- 1/2 c. non-fat sour cream
- 2 T. butter, melted
- 3 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 c. fresh broccoli, chopped
- salt/pepper, to taste

Working Mama Meal: Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Here's a spur of the moment true working mama meal from a busy Monday morning.  With about 15 minutes until I had to leave, I was inspired by the Reames noodles in my freezer to make this classic, belly-warming comfort food for my loves.  Using ingredients on hand, including frozen noodles and chicken breasts, I tossed together this delicious meal on a day when I couldn't be home to cook dinner. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup



Ingredients:
- 1 lb. chicken breasts, can be frozen
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 c. diced carrots
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cartons (7-8 c.) chicken stock
- 1 T. Italian seasoning
- 1-2 t. salt, to taste
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 1 (16 oz) package frozen noodles (not precooked)



My Top 15 Working Mama Meals

I was recently asked by a friend to suggest some good "working mama" weeknight meals.  This is a pretty common request that I get, so I decided to gather up some of my favorite easy weeknight meals.  These recipes are great for working mamas, work-at-home mamas, working people, students, or really any hungry people who don't have tons of time to devote to making dinner.  I love getting this question because it means that parents are coming home from work and cooking dinner for their families.  It's such a healthy and important part of family structure and child development in general, and doesn't have to be a big production.   Serve these with fresh/frozen veggies and/or fruit and call it a day.  You don't need to plan 5 course meals every night - save those for special occasions or on the weekends when you have more time.

When deciding which recipes to include, I decided to split them up into slow cooker meals, quick 'n easy, and plan ahead favorites.  These are all the different types of weeknight meals I make, but everyone's different, depending on how much prep time you have and when it is.  If you have a lot of time in the evening, you can plan ahead for the next day and/or take longer to cook dinner.  If most of your free time is in the morning, the slow cooker may be your weeknight BFF.  Most likely, you use some combination of the two.  Either way, here's how this working mama makes 'em:

Slow Cooker Tamale Pie

Here's a yummy casserole inspired by one of my favorite Mexican dishes.  Unlike it's labor-intensive namesake, this dish is simple and relatively quick to make.  And thanks to my good friends Val & Milton, there's a lot of walk away time (yup, I named my slow cookers Val & Milton... they're made by Rival and Hamilton Beach... I also named my minivan Chryssie Chrysler... forgive me, I'm corny and apparently not that inventive when it comes to naming). 

I love the ease of the slow cooker because it allows me to cook dinner during Annalyn's morning nap on my days off, but if you're schedule doesn't allow it, this can easily be made in the oven, too!  Instead of a slow cooker, layer ingredients in a large casserole dish (spray with some cooking spray first) and cook at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until cornbread is cooked through.  I could think of so many variations for this dish, too!  Try making it with ground turkey or shredded chicken instead of beef...  topping with salsa verde or enchilada sauce... mixing in some jalapenos with the cornbread mixture to give it an extra kick... the possibilities are endless!  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. ground  beef (as lean as possible)
- 2-3 T. taco seasoning (see my recipe here)
- 1/2 c. chicken stock
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup grated carrot (optional, but adds some nutrients without affecting flavor!)
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1/4 c. each black/green olives, chopped (also optional, but recommended!)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
for the topping: (if using a large slow cooker, you may want to double this... I used my smaller one and it was the perfect amount)
- 1 (8.5 oz.) box cornbread mix (Jiffy suggested)
- 1/3 c. milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c. shredded cheese (low fat, if possible... I was out)
- 3/4 c. creamed style corn
optional add-ins:  jalapenos (mix into cornbread mixture), salsa verde/enchilada sauce, green pepper or poblanos (mix into meat)