Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken Soup

Very rarely do I try a new recipe and then all 5 of us eat it up.  The boys were actually licking their bowls.  No leftovers on this one!

• 2 Tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 12 ounce can coconut milk
• 3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons natural smooth peanut butter
• dash of soy sauce
• 1½ pounds chicken breast or thighs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red (or any color, or a combination) bell peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1-2 cups frozen mixed veggies (I used corn, green beans, peas, and carrots)
• 2 tsp. fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Place chicken and onion in slow cooker.  In a bowl, whisk together curry paste, soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and peanut butter.  Pour into slow cooker.  Set on low for about 6 hours or until chicken is cooked through.  Add coconut milk and vegetables and cook for another hour.   Remove chicken and shred, then return to slow cooker.

I adapted this recipe from monicaswanson.com

Hoffmeister House Salad Dressing

This dressing is kind of like a homemade honey-mustard.  It's light and refreshing and great for any salad!

1 cup oil (half olive, half canola)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1 t ground mustard

1 t celery seed

1 t salt

Mix well and toss with green salad.

PW's salisbury steak and potatoes

This one was delicious.  And all of the kids scarfed it down.

Ingredients

Meat Mixture:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons dry mustard
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bouillon, crumbled (or powdered beef base)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Gravy:

1 whole onion, halved and thinly sliced (or diced if you prefer)

2 cups beef broth, more if needed for thinning
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon seasoning sauce, such as Kitchen Bouquet, optional
4 dashes Worcestershire
1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional
Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the meat mixture: Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, ketchup, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon and some salt and pepper. Knead until all combined. Form into 4 to 6 oval patties, and then make lines across the patties to give them a "steak" appearance.

Fry the patties in a skillet with the butter and oil over medium-high heat on both sides until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and pour off any excess grease.
For the gravy: Reduce the heat to medium and add in the sliced onions. Stir and cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add the beef stock, ketchup, seasoning sauce, if using, and the Worcestershire. Then combine the cornstarch with a little beef broth and add to the sauce if using. Stir and cook to reduce.
Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and more broth if needed for thinning. Then return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer and heat back up for a couple of minutes.

Kristine's Vegetable Curry

This one was so delicious I just had to post it!
Kristine calls it "potato curry."  But really you can use any vegetables you want.  It can also easily be made as vegan or vegetarian.  You could also throw in some cubed chicken and not make it vegetarian at all!
Anway, here's the recipe.
You will need:

• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (or a bit less)
• 4 T veg oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (I didn't have any on hand, and it still turned out fine)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water or chicken broth
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
• Your choice of 3 vegetables.  I used bell pepper, cauliflower, and tofu (not really a vegetable but whatever).  Other ideas include sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini, peas, green beans, carrots, etc.

Directions:

1. "Toast" the first two spices by warming in a dry, nonstick skillet on medium heat, until fragrant.  Kristine skips this step but I went ahead and did it.

2. Heat 3 T oil in dutch oven on med-high heat.  Add onions and vegetables and cook until cooked and golden.

3. Reduce heat to medium.  Add final T of oil to pan, then throw in garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and toasted spices.  Stir 1-2 min.

4. Add tomatoes, water/broth, chickpeas.  Stir and reduce to simmer, 15 min.  Add cream jus tbefore serving.

Savory Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts

2 cans stewed tomatoes

4 T white wine

2 bay leaves

Several shakes of pepper

4 garlic cloves minced

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

4 cups broccoli

Combined everything in the crockpot except the broccoli.  (Or in a freezer bag for later.)

Cook on low 9 hours, add broccoli in last 30 min.

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry ranch dressing mix
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  Place chicken breasts inside slow cooker.  In a small mixing bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, ranch dressing mix, chicken broth, garlic powder, parsley flakes, paprika, and oregano.  Pour evenly over chicken breasts.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 or high for 2-3 hours.  Remove chicken and stir cream cheese into the sauce until smooth.  Put chicken back in the slow cooker and serve over cooked egg noodles or rice.  Drizzle with extra sauce.

Slow Cooker Continental Beef

Ingredients

1 cup onion ( diced )
6 tablespoons butter ( or light margarine )
2 pounds beef rump roast ( cut into cubes )
8 ounces tomato sauce 

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 bell peppper- chopped, optional
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon sufar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic ( minced )
1 cup low fat sour cream

Directions

Optional:

Saute onions in butter. Remove from pan and brown beef cubes. 

 Place beef, onions, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic in slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until beef is very tender. Add sour cream to beef mixture just before serving. Stir until smooth and heated through. Do not boil. Serve over cooked egg noodles.