Slow Cooker Zucchini Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces celery
• 2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Mix celery into cooked sausage; cook and stir until celery is softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Combine sausage mixture, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, salt, sugar, oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, and garlic powder in a slow cooker.
3. Cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Slow Cooker Chicken Creole

The stewed tomatoes and jalapeno pepper give this slow cooker recipe its Creole zing, along with seasoning and other veggies. This is an easy and tasty Creole chicken recipe. Just put all ingredients into the slow cooker and let it simmer all day. It's perfect over egg noodles. Add extra water and veggies to the leftovers to make a tasty afternoon soup.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• Creole-style seasoning to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole-style seasoning to taste. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, celery, bell pepper, garlic, onion, mushrooms, and jalapeno pepper.
2. Cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 5 to 6 hours.

Slow Cooker Spanish Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef stew meat
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped Spanish onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped red potatoes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (12 ounce) jar sofrito
• 1/2 cup pitted and halved green olives

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook beef in hot skillet until completely browned, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer beef to a slow cooker, retaining some of the beef drippings in the skillet.
2. Return skillet to heat and heat the retained drippings. Saute onion and garlic in hot drippings until softened, about 5 minutes; add to beef in slow cooker.
3. Stir potatoes, diced tomatoes, sofrito, and olives into the beef mixture.
4. Cook on Low until beef and potatoes are fork-tender, 4 to 5 hours.

Slow Cooker Black Eyed Pea, Wild Rice, and Kale Stew

This Black Eyed Pea stew provides all the good luck that you’ll need for the new year.  Well, don’t quote me on that. You may need some other luck besides this stew.  So cross your toes and buy a rabbit foot. Southern tradition is to eat black eyed peas for luck and greens for wealth.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black eyed peas
• 1 large ham hock
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1 cup dried wild rice mix
• 1 quart low sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups of chopped kale leaves, stems removed
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Soak dried black eyed peas overnight by placing them in a large stockpot and filling with 6 to 8 cups of water.  Pick out any bad black eyed peas that look shriveled and float up to the top. After soaking overnight, drain and rinse the black eyed peas.
2. Add soaked black eyed peas and remaining ingredients (except kale) to large slow cooker (crockpot). Stir to combine. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Remove the bay leaves and the ham hock from slow cooker. Carefully use two forks to shred off the cooked ham from the bone. Return shredded ham and kale to slow cooker.  Stir to combine and allow the kale to wilt, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fajita-Style Chicken Chili

On chilly autumn days there is nothing better than a warm bowl of chili.  This recipe uses simple ingredients and is a breeze to prepare.  Curl up on the couch with a blanket and a warm bowl of this chili to make dreary fall days nice and cozy.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced diagonally

• 2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 2 large sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into

• 1/4-inch-thick slices

• 1 can (15 1/2 oz) pink beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes

• 1 can Whole Kernel Corn (optional)

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Shredded cheddar, sour cream, guacamole and flour tortillas (optional)

Directions

1. Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 6 minutes, until lightly browned. Cook in 2 batches, if necessary.

3. In slow cooker bowl, layer onions, peppers, cooked chicken, beans, and corn(optional). Combine tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Pour over beans.

4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours.

5. Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, guacamole and flour tortillas, if using.

Tip

For easy cleanup: Line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside