Baked Potato Soup (Crockpot)

Ingredients:
- 5lbs Russet Potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 10 cloves of garlic (you can use whole, crushed, or minced)
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 16 oz cream cheese (I used 8oz regular and 8oz lowfat)
- 1 TBS seasoned salt or all-purpose seasoning

Garnishes:
- Crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Green onions

Directions:
- Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
- Remove and puree the garlic cloves (if you used whole cloves) along with 1/2 to 1/3rd of the soup.  -Return 1/2 of the pureed soup to the crockpot.  Add the cream cheese to remaining soup in the blend until well incorporated.
- Stir in the cream cheese and allow to melt. Stir every 10-15 minutes until soup is well blended.
- Top with your choice of garnishes & serve!

Yields about 10-12 servings.

Creamy Ranch Bacon Chicken (Crockpot)

Easy breezy.....beautiful!  Love this for a Manic Monday Meal!!!!

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
2 - 3 T bacon bits/pieces
1 tsp minced garlic
1 C sour cream
Pasta/Rice

Place chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot.  In separate bowl, combine soup, sour cream, garlic, dressing mix, and bacon bits.  Mix well.  Pour over top of chicken.  Cook on high 4 hours.  Remove chicken and shred or cube and place back in pot.  Serve over cooked pasta or rice.

Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili

For my favorite vegetarians!  You KNOW who you are!  :)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapenos seeded and minced
2 14.5 oz cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes
4 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
salt and pepper
heat oil in large skillet, cook onions and garlic until tender, add peppers and cook until crisp tender, transfer to slow cooker and add remaining ingredients except for the squash. mix well. arrange squash over the chili, cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours season with salt and pepper serve with cornbread…so good

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

I'm definitely making this on Saturday.  Even if your family doesn't like sweet potatoes, they'll LOVE this!
(Thanks got Crockpot Girls!  You're my new BFF's!)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
2 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup non-fat, low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Cranberry Roast

Doesn't this just sound delicious?!  What a great and EASY Sunday dinner to help ring in Fall!

Any type of Roast (shoulder, butt, round)
2 Cans WHOLE cranberry Cranberry Sauce
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Mix cranberries and soup mix together.  Pour over roast in crockpot.  Cook 8 hours on high.  Break up with fork just before serving.

Slow-Cooked Sweet and Tangy Beef BBQ

This is a great recipe from AllRecipes.com.  It's even yummy as leftovers!

3 lb chuck roast
1/2 c water
1 1/2 T white vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 t dry mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 c ketchup
1 t salt
3/4 t fresh ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced

-Place roast and water in crock pot. No need to add anything else for now. Cover, cook on low for 4 hours or until beef can be easily shredded with a fork.

-Shred the beef, removing fat and bone as you go. Remove 1/2 c broth from crock pot and reserve for later.

-Mix the remaining ingredients for the sauce and pour over meat in crock pot and stir until well-coated.

-Cover and contiue to cook on low for an additional 4 hours. Add the reserved broth only if necessary to maintain moisture.

-Serve on toasted buns with a little mayo. The meat can be frozen for future use.