I love the Crock Pot when the weather gets cooler and we get busy. Here are a couple of ones new to me. I had a young cook tell me she wanted to try a slow cooker chicken. I found a recipe that claims to taste like baked chicken and a friend also told me she uses halved potatoes in place of the aluminum foil and occasionally will add onions and carrots as well and ends up with a complete meal.
I also had a reader send a recipe for her favorite Taco soup. Soup season is here!
Slow Cooker “Baked” Chicken
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
Directions: Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3- to 4-inch balls, and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika, and place in the slow cooker on top of the crumpled aluminum foil.
Set the slow cooker to High for 1 hour, then turn down to Low for about 8-10 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
Slow Cooker Taco Soup
1 pound ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (15.5 ounce) can corn, undrained
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup tomato juice
Directions: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir beef until crumbly, evenly browned and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.
Transfer beef to a slow cooker and sprinkle with the taco seasoning mix and ranch dressing mix. Add the diced tomatoes and green chiles, corn, and black beans, all with their liquid, to the slow cooker. Stir the black olives, onion, bell pepper, and tomato juice into the ground beef mixture.
Cook on Low until the vegetables are completely tender, about 5 hours.
I really enjoy this time with you each week and would love to hear from you. Do you have any requests? Is there a recipe you have been looking for or remember from your younger years? Can I help you find it? Do you have any recipes that are special to you that you could share with us? Please contact me at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, P.O. Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
