Simple Slow Cooker Blackeye Peas

In an effort to start 2021 with as much good mojo as possible, we decided to make a traditional Southern New Year's Day meal. Considering neither of us had ever attempted this before, we needed to find recipes to make this happen. Luckily I came across this slow cooker recipe for blackeye peas from Camellia Brand!

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) package Camellia Brand Blackeye Peas
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ham hock or ½ pound diced ham
• 6 cups water or chicken broth
• Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse and sort peas.
2. Add peas, onion, garlic, ham hock or diced ham, and water or broth to slow cooker. Stir well and cover.
3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until peas are desired tenderness.
4. Season to taste.

Our thoughts

I will say that I've never been a fan of blackeye peas, but this cooking method & recipe actually makes them tasty!  I used a 1/2 pound of Smithfield diced ham (found next to the seasoned meats section at Food Lion) - I'm all about making cooking easy! -extra minced garlic and reduced sodium chicken broth. I also added black pepper to cook in, rather than adding when serving.  I cooked for 6 hours and the peas were not mushy at all.  I think cooking the onion with the peas adds flavor and a hint of sweetness.  We have tons of leftovers, but I think I will enjoy eating additional meals with blackeye peas (words that no one EVER thought they'd hear come out of my mouth)!  Happy 2021, y'all!!

Slow Cooker Chili with No Beans

Today was a rainy day and a Monday (cue the Carpenters song), so I was feeling chili for our #SlowCookerMonday.  I had this recipe saved on my Pinterest chili board, and thought the abundance of veggies sounded delicious.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds ground beef

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups diced yellow onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 ½ cups diced carrots, peeled

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 medium zucchini, diced

15 ounce can tomato purée or tomato sauce

15 ounce can diced tomatoes

Instructions

In a large pan, brown the beef, garlic, and onion over medium heat, until the beef is cooked through. Transfer the meat mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker with the celery, carrots, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, zucchini, tomato purée, and diced tomatoes.

Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours, until the chili is thickened. 

What we did to make it uniquely our own

1.  I added an 8 oz package of fresh sliced mushrooms to the pan with the garlic & onions and sauteed till the onions were starting to get translucent. At that point, I dumped the garlic, onion, and mushrooms in the slow cooker and browned the beef in the same pan.  There just wasn't room in the pan for the beef with the mushrooms in there.  I chose to add the mushrooms to add additional earthiness to the dish.

2.  I added a 4 oz can of Hatch hot green chiles to add some more flavor and heat.

3.  I got a late start in fixing everything, so the chili only cooked on high for 4 hours.  It tasted delicious, but 4 1/2 to 5 hours might be the optimum time to get the veggies a little softer.

4.  I made some cornbread from a box mix from Zatarain's - Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread.  Super easy and had a slightly sweet flavor which paired nicely with this chili - and it crumbled well when added to the chili!

Our thoughts

We loved the amount & variety of the veggies in this chili!  Such a fresh flavor with just the right amount of subtle heat.  Cornbread was the perfect side, but I think some wholegrain chips would be great to dip with leftovers.  This recipe will definitely be in our chili rotation for the future!

Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini

I have made this yummy comfort food dish for at least 8 years and realized I've never made a blogpost about it, so here you go!

Ingredients 

1 (19oz) bag of frozen cheese tortellini

1 small bag of fresh spinach (I used about 2/3 of a 5 oz package)

2 (14.5 oz) cans of Italian style diced tomatoes, drained

1 block (8 oz) of cream cheese** (softened in microwave)

1 lb. of ground sausage or chicken/turkey sausage

3-4 cups of chicken broth (start with 3, add 1 more if it looks like it needs it)

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage and put all ingredients in the slow cooker, chunking up the cream cheese.

2. Cook on low for 4-6 hrs.

Serves 4-6

*Keep an eye on your tortellini, it may be done sooner.
*If still soupy, leave lid off for the last half hour or so of cooking.
*For a vegetarian version, omit sausage and use vegetable broth instead.

**If you use neufachtel (1/3 fat of regular cream cheese) be prepared that it doesn't melt as well and leaves little curds. 

How we make it uniquely our own

1. I've used ground sausage, ground turkey, kielbasa, and chicken sausage links in this recipe in the past and all work very well!. Today I used Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage to add extra flavor to the dish!

2. I forgot to drain the cans of diced tomatoes, but it did not make the dish too soupy. And that is considering I used the full 4 cups of chicken broth (reduced sodium because there is enough sodium already in the tomatoes).

3.  I served garlic breadsticks with the tortellini to better sop up every bit of the sauce!  I heated a 6-count box of Food Lion brand garlic breadsticks (only $1.39!) and they tasted as good as the ones from Olive Garden IMO!

Our thoughts

If you're looking for a great comfort food dish that is good served year-round, this is it!  The spinach & tomatoes blend so well in the sauce and with the sausage.  The dish is hearty, but not heavy.  Next time, I plan to pull out a nice red wine to complete the Italian meal feel!

Slow Cooker Shrimp Chowder

This week we were in the mood for a seafood dish for #SlowCookerFriday and decided a good chowder would be perfect. I found this easy recipe for shrimp chowder from Taste of Home to serve with grilled cheese.

Ingredients

1/2 chopped onion

2 tsp butter

2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk

2 cans (10.75 oz each) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted

2 cans (10.75 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 can (7 oz) white or shoepeg corn, drained

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 lbs peeled & deveined cooked small shrimp

3 oz cream cheese, cubed

Instructions

In a small skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the onion, milk, soups, corn, Creole seasoning and garlic powder.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Stir in shrimp and cream cheese. Cook 30 minutes longer or until shrimp are heated through and cheese is melted. Stir to blend.

What we did differently...it's what we do!

1.  I tend to have a heavy hand with seasonings, and extra Creole seasoning tasted just fine!

2. My bags of frozen shrimp were 12 oz, so I bought 3, giving me 4 extra ounces of shrimp. You know I put all the shrimp in!

Our thoughts

We thought this recipe tasted like an authentic chowder. It had the right consistency and the extra shrimp were welcomed.  Grilled cheese was the perfect vehicle to mop up the bowl and there are leftovers aplenty!  I see this dish being a regular offering this winter!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Shells with Spinach

 While I'm on reduced hours due to the pandemic, I started doing #SlowCookerMonday or #SlowCookerFriday to take advantage of the days I'm at home & can put together slow cooker meals that don't require 8+ hours of cook time.  This week for #SlowCookerFriday, I decided to try making stuffed shells using this recipe from the Hamilton Beach test kitchen.

Ingredients

1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (12 ounces) ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
28 jumbo pasta shells
2 jars (24 ounces each) marinara sauce
Chopped parsley

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir spinach, ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, garlic and Italian seasoning.

2. 2. Divide and fill each shell with ricotta mixture.
3. 
   
4. 3. Add 3 cups sauce to the bottom of the crock.
5. 
   
6. 4. Place 14 stuffed shells in the bottom of the crock. Spoon 2 cups marinara sauce over shells.
7. 
   
8. 5. Top with remaining stuffed shells and sauce.
9. 
   
10. 6. Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 until shells are cooked. 
11. 
    
12. 7. Remove lid and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over shells. Wait 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish with parsley.
13. 
    

What we did differently...it's what we do!

1.  Since there was room in the crock and I still had some shells, I used 30 jumbo shells (15 on each layer).  And there was still some of the spinach ricotta mixture left over!

2.  The blog post had a tip that I found very useful:  before stuffing the shells, run warm water over them for a few seconds.  It makes the shells a little more pliable and easier to stuff without breaking the shells.

3.  I sprinkled extra shredded mozzarella in between the layers because who doesn't like extra cheesiness?!

4.  Luckily Harris Teeter had our favorite sauce, Rao's Arrabiata Sauce, on special.  We love the flavorful choices from Rao's and this spicy marinara sauce gives the perfect amount of zing!

Our thoughts

I used a 6-quart crockpot and cooked the dish for 4 hours on high.  The shells were fully cooked and the sauce flavor soaked into the shells, giving an added depth of flavor.  I probably could have served after 3 1/2 hours of cooking and been fine.  We served with a side salad, garlic breadsticks, and a Tempranillo from the Lodi Valley of California.  Full Italian dinner that was quite tasty! And Ed said the stuffed shells were restaurant-quality (thanks sweetie!).  Will definitely make again!

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Chili

Who says chili is just a cold weather meal?  When you have a trusty slow cooker, you can make some amazingly tasty chili recipes, all without heating up your kitchen and without taking a lot of time out of your day!  This recipe from A Spicy Perspective brings a lot of flavor & a little bit of heat to your dinner enjoyment!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 24 ounces jarred roasted red peppers in juices
• 30 ounces red kidney beans, drained
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, followed by the chopped onions, peppers, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften.

2. Pour the sautéed veggies and the drained kidney beans in a large slow cooker. Place the chicken over the top, then sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, and salt in the slow cooker.

3. Pour the jarred roasted red peppers and their juices in a blender. Puree until very smooth. Pour the pureed red pepper and chicken broth in the slow cooker. Cover and turn on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.

4. When the chicken is cooked through. Remove it with tongs, and shred the chicken with a fork. Stir the shredded chicken back into the crockpot. Serve warm!

NOTE: This chili is well seasoned, but is not spicy. If you want to kick up the heat, add 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper. Or add hot sauce after cooking.

What we did differently (it's what we do):

1. We went the easy route & used a package of already-chopped fajita vegetables (onion, red & green bell pepper) and left out the celery.  Didn't miss the celery at all!

2.  I tend to have a liberal hand with my spice measurements and extra chili powder and cumin along with the suggested 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper did not make the chili too spicy - we thought it was just right!

3.  Our canned kidney beans were no-salt-added, which works just fine when using a variety of spices, including sea salt.

Our thoughts:

This chili was a success!  We served it over a frozen cauliflower-broccoli riced veggie blend from Green Giant (I definitely recommend this brand!) and the riced veggies were the perfect "starch" to soak up the chili sauce.  Tostitos Chips with a Hint of Lime were a nice side as well.  The chili had a bit of kick and a whole lot of flavor, and we have plenty of leftovers too!  #winning

Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala

Ed and I love spicy food and have developed a taste for Indian & Thai dishes.  When I saw this simple recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala from The Family Freezer, I knew I had to try it!

Ingredients: 

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 - 15 oz cans tomato sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz heavy cream (1 cup or 1/2 pint)


Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker & stir to mix.
2. Cook on "low" setting for 4 hours in a 6-qt slow cooker or 8 hours in a 4-qt slow cooker.


What we did differently (it's what we do):

1. I used Lawry's Seasoned Salt instead of regular salt to add some extra flavor.

2. Since I was adding a bit of salt, I used one can of regular tomato sauce and one can of No Salt Added tomato sauce (Harris Teeter brand).

3. As always, I added extra minced garlic because we 💓 garlic!

4. The only curry powder we had in the spice cabinet was Hot Curry Powder and it gave a nice heat to the sauce.

Our thoughts:

We loved the heat of this dish!  Serving with garlic naan was a great idea because there was plenty of sauce in need of sopping up!  I think we will serve the leftovers over basmati rice to change things up.  Next time (and there will definitely be a next time!) we will probably use a little over 2 lbs of chicken to have a more even balance between chicken and sauce.