Slow Cooker Cream and Ale Short Ribs over Polenta

So without exaggeration...this was THE BEST thing I have ever made in my slow cooker. No joke. My husband and our friend Ronnie were circling my kitchen for 8 hours like 2 starving vultures...lol! I served it over polenta but you can change it up with mashed potatoes.



Slow Cooker Cream and Ale Short Ribs over Polenta

6 meaty short ribs (I served 2 short ribs per person)
1 package au jus gravy mix
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 cups beef broth, divided
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 cup white wine
1 - 12 oz. can beer (I used Miller Light)
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
A few tablespoons oil for browning
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Mix the au jus, brown sugar, flour and thyme in a small bowl. Place into your slow cooker. I used a mesh strainer to sift the mixture to make sure that there were no lumps. Add the beer and mix well.

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Sprinkle the short ribs with salt and pepper then brown well on all sides. You will probably have to do this in 2 or 3 batches. Place short ribs on a plate. Deglaze the pan with the 1/4 cup white wine scraping up any browned bits. Add 1/2 cup of beef broth. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Add 1/4 cup of water to deglaze again.

Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Place short ribs into slow cooker. Add the remaining 2 cups of beef broth. Cover and set on Hi (4 to 6 hours) or Low (8 to 10 hours).

Remove short ribs from slow cooker onto a serving plate. Carefully pour the liquid into a fat separator. Once settled, pour the liquid in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, being careful to get to get as little fat as possible. stir in the heavy cream. Allow to cook for a few minutes to thicken up. Pour gravy over the short ribs and enjoy!!



Creamy Parmesan Polenta

2 cups instant polenta
8 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup good-quality grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
Salt and pepper

In a large pot, boil the chicken stock over medium-high heat. Pour in the polenta, stirring constantly. The polenta should be fully cooked in about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. stir in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Then mix in the Parmesan and mascarpone. Seaaon with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Pureed Vegetable Gravy

My mom makes the best pot roast. Like THE BEST pot roast with AMAZING gravy. She also makes it in a pot. My husband commented that she was the only one he knew that made pot roast in a pot...LOL!! After I had my son, she stayed with us for a week...and pot roast was on my list of favorite foods my mom makes that I requested while she was here. Her trick to her gravy is she purees the carrots and onions so that they blend into the gravy. It gives the gravy a really unique flavor.
I make my pot roast in the slow cooker but I make my gravy the same way she does. YUMMY!!!



Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Pureed Vegetable Gravy

1 - 3 to 4 lb beef chuck
1 1/2 cups petite carrots
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 beef bullion cubes
2 cups water
1 - 12 oz jar bistro au jus gravy
1 - 12 oz jar savory beef gravy
1 envelope onion soup mix
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and ground black pepper
Wondra, if needed

Season beef chuck with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until just starting to turn brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the onions and set aside (do not clean skillet). In the same skillet, add the chuck roast and sear on all sides.
Place seared chuck into the slow cooker. Top with onions and petite carrots. Add both jars of gravy, onion soup mix, water and bullion cubes. Set slow cooker for 6 hours.
When pot roast is finished, remove from the slow cooker and place on a platter. The meat will fall apart so try to cut it as best as you can.
Pour gravy with the carrots and onions into a large mixing bowl. Using a stick blender, puree the gravy until smooth. If the gravy is too thin, add a bit of Wondra and puree again. Season according to taste. Pour gravy over the pot roast. Serve with mashed potatoes or hot buttered noodles.



Even my 10-month old loved it!

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Ale Short Ribs

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Ale Short Ribs
3 lbs. beef short ribs
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 cup flour
1 - 10.5 oz. can condensed french onion soup
1 - 12 oz. bottle dark ale beer

Place the short ribs into a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the brown sugar, garlic, thyme and flour and toss to coat. Pour the soup and beer over the beef mixture.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or until the beef is fork-tender. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

8 chicken thighs, bone-in
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup flour
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or Dutch-oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken skin side down, in batches, until nicely browned on both sides.
Mix together the sliced onion, smashed garlic and the thyme with a little salt and pepper and place in the bottom of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Top with the chicken, skin side up.
In a small bowl, whisk together the wine and flour until smooth and pour over the chicken. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Sprinkle with parsley when serving.

Footnotes - You can serve this over rice pilaf or pasta.

Slow Cooker Zucchini and Cornbread Casserole

Slow Cooker Zucchini and Cornbread Casserole

1 - 10.75 oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 - 11 oz. can sweet whole kernel corn, drained
1 - 8 oz. container sour cream
1 ½ cups cornbread stuffing mix
1 ½ pounds zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrot
2 teaspoons dried sage

Combine soup and sour cream in a large bowl. Add zucchini, carrots, onion and corn, stirring gently to coat. Spoon vegetable mixture into a lightly greased 4-quart slow cooker. Combine stuffing mix, dried sage and melted butter; sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on low 5 hours. Uncover and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Footnotes - You can substitute yellow squash for the zucchini

Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs with Mushrooms

Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs with Mushrooms

4 lbs boneless beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small orange, rinsed
3 or 4 very thin sliced peeled fresh ginger
1 onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
1 cup reduced fat beef broth
1 pound button mushrooms caps
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
½ cup port or cream sherry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Rinse meat and place in slow-cooker. Remove the peel from orange and sliver it. In a large pot, combine peel, onion, 1 cup broth, wine, port, vinegar, soy sauce, thyme, ginger and five spice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Pour liquid over meat. Turn slow-cooker to high, cover and cook 5 to 6 hours or until meat is very tender when pierced. Rinse and drain mushroom caps. Cut caps in half lengthwise and place in a large skillet; add butter. Skim off and discard fat from liquid in slow-cooker. Ladle 1 cup liquid into pan with mushrooms. Stir mushrooms often over high heat until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are lightly browned, 13 to 17 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift meat from juices in slow-cooker and lay in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch casserole. Pour mushrooms over meat. Bake in a 375 degree oven until meat is sizzling and browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, measure remaining liquid from slow-cooker. If less than 2 cups, add beef broth to make 2 cups, pour into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Pour into boiling liquid and stir until thickened, about 30 seconds. Pour evenly over meat and mix gently to blend with liquid in casserole, adding salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chives and serve over mashed potatoes.

Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew

Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 - 12-oz. bottle Guinness beer
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 large russet potatoes, washed and cubed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss the beef in the flour mixture to coat. Transfer the mixture including excess flour to a 6-quart slow cooker, Add the carrots, onion, garlic and thyme. Slowly pour in the Guinness and then stir in the beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. Add the potatoes and continue cooking until the meat and the potatoes are fork-tender, about 1 hour more. Serve over garlic mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.

My Top 10 Recipes from "In the Kitchen with the Auxiliary"

About 2 years ago, my Ladies Auxiliary put together a fundraiser cookbook. We collected 400 recipes. What was so great about the book was that some of the recipes had been passed down in a family for generations. Some didn't have measurements, some were so simple with only 3 ingredients. There was so much history and love, it was a great experience. I have used the book many many times and there are a few recipes that have become my favorites. Here are my top 10 -

The recipes are not in any particular order

Roast Pork with Applekraut

1 - 3lb. pork loin
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 cup butter
4 medium cooking apples, cored and sliced into rings
4 cups sauerkraut, drained
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle meat with garlic salt and paprika. Place meat on rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add apple rings, a few at a time, and cook until well browned. Add sauerkraut and the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally Serve applekraut with the sliced roast pork.

Recipe contributed by Janet Holley, Hose Co. 1 Ladies Auxiliary

Smokey Apple Butter Ribs

3 lbs. boneless pork country-style ribs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup apple butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Place ribs in the crock pot. Cover ribs with the onion slices. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients; pour over the ribs and onions. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Recipe contributed by Kristen Karavitis, Hose Co. 1 Ladies Auxiliary

Engine 5 Steaks

2 to 3 lbs. skirt steaks
2 to 3 large tablespoons of chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon Goya Adobo
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Maggi sauce

Combine all ingredients in a container and let steaks marinate. The longer the steaks sit in the marinade, the better. Then grill, occasionally drizzling with lime juice.

Recipe contributed by Dave Stucke, Chief 2006 River Edge Fire Department

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
5 sprigs fresh thyme
40 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add remaining oil, thyme and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe contributed by Rob Cordasco, Battalion Chief 2009 Little Ferry Fire Department

Bow Ties with Asparagus and Mushrooms

1 lb. bow tie pasta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 small can Hunt's tomato sauce
1/2 pint heavy cream
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook bow ties according to package; drain. In a large skillet, add olive oil and garlic. Saute until garlic becomes fragrant. Add asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Saute until al dente. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and heavy cream; stir well. Continue to cook until asparagus are tender. Transfer bow ties to a large serving bowl and add sauce, tossing gently to combine.

Recipe contributed by Ann Gioielli

My Famous Linguine in White Clam Sauce

2 cans Doxee chopped clams, juice reserved
1 bottle clam juice
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup olive oil
1 lb. linguine
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Open both cans of chopped clams, strain reserving juice. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook linguine to your liking, drain and set aside. In a sauce pan, add olive oil, garlic and parsley. When the garlic begins to brown, pour both the bottle and reserved clam juice and add pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. As soon as the clam juice begins to boil, add chopped clams and stir. Let simmer for 3 minutes then shut off the flame. Place linguine in a large serving bowl and pour clam sauce over pasta. Toss and serve.

Recipe contributed by Joany Macaroni

Sweet Onion Casserole

2 Vidalia or sweet onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated good-quality Parmesan cheese
10 butter flavored crackers, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions in butter until tender. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Spoon half into a greased 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and top with remaining onion mixture and crushed crackers. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe contributed by my aunt, Grace Napolitano

Orzo and Tomato Salad with Feta

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 cup pitted green or Kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup diced feta cheese
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. When orzo is cool, transfer to a medium bowl and mix in olives, parsley, dill and tomato. Gently fold in feta cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice. Pour over pasta and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving.

Recipe contributed by my brother, Dino Tsidavis

Strawberry Salad

2 to 3 bags baby spinach
2 pints strawberries
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup thin slices red onion

Mix together Worcestershire sauce, sugar, oil and vinegar; set aside. Place spinach in a large bowl. Wash and slice the strawberries and add to the spinach. Add onions. Just before serving, add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine.

Recipe contributed by Dawn Sequeira who I have known since grade school!

Onion Soup with Guinness and Irish Cheddar

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups Guinness beer
6 cups beef stock
8 slices country bread, cut 1/2-inch thick and toasted
1/2 lb of thin sliced Irish Cheddar
Gray Salt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook briefly to release aroma. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are golden brown. Add thyme, vinegar and beer. Cook until the beer is reduced by half then add beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 more minutes. Preheat broiler. Transfer soup to individual over-proof soup bowls, top each with a slice of the toasted bread and a slice of the Cheddar. Boil until cheese is melted and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot.

Recipe contributed by Joan Iurato, Hose Co. 1 Ladies Auxiliary

Footnote - I didn't add any of my own recipes or recipes from my husband to this list because I like all of those recipes and if they weren't good, then they wouldn't have been in the cookbook...lol! I also didn't include desserts or appetizers in the list because I love all desserts and most of the appetizers are in my blog already. I also wanted to mention, many of the recipe in the book I haven't tried. Just because it isn't on the list, doesn't mean that I didn't like it or that it isn't good. XOXO

You Will Think You Died and Went to Heaven Slow Cooker Chocolate Dump Cake

Ummm...I think the name says it all.

You Will Think You Died and Went to Heaven Slow Cooker Chocolate Dump Cake

1 - 18 3/4 oz. package chocolate cake mix
3 oz. box instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1 jar hot fudge sauce, warmed

Spray a 4 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the water, then add the sour cream and oil and beat until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and beat well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until top springs back when touched very lightly with finger. Scoop into bowls and top with hot fudge sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Footnotes - You can also serve this with vanilla ice cream.

Slow Cooker 5 Ingredient Recipes

My friend Tara does not cook. One day, we were all talking about our slow cookers and how easy it was to make meals in them because it cooks everything by itself. So Tara went out and purchased a slow cooker. The first recipe she tried was Barbecued Ribs with Onions, which she said was a flop. When I told her to check out my blog because I had posted some slow cooker recipes, she joked that they had too many ingredients. So now I was on a mission to find slow cooker recipes using 5 ingredients or less. For Tara.........

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

1 - 12 oz. box chicken stuffing mix
3 - 10 3/4 oz. cans condensed cream of chicken soup, divided
3 to 4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Prepared stuffing mix according to package; place in slow cooker. Stir in 2 cans of the soup. In a medium bowl, mix together remaining can of soup, milk and cooked chicken; add to slow cooker. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours. Serves 6.

Chicken and Noodles

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 - 10 3/4 oz. cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 14 1/2 oz. can chicken broth
1 - 16 oz. package wide egg noodles, cooked

Place chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with both cans of soup. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 hours. Shred chicken in slow cooker with a fork. Add broth and cooked noodles. Mix well. Cover and cook on low setting for an additional 30 minutes or until heated through. Serves 6.

Beef Roast over Mashed Potatoes

3 1/2 lbs. beef pot roast (chuck roast)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 - 26 oz. can cream of mushroom soup (if you can't find the large can, 2 1/2 cans of the small soups work as well)
1 2/3 cups water

Place pot roast in slow cooker, sprinkle with soup mix. Pour soup over the roast; add the water. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes. Serves 4 to 6.

French Onion Pork Chops
I serve these with fried apples (recipe to follow).

4 pork chops
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can condensed French onion soup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Cooked egg noodles

Place pork chops in slow cooker. Mix onion soup and water together and pour over pork chops. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Fried Apples

4 apples, preferably green
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water

Core the unpeeled apples, then cut into circles or slices. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and cook the apples, turning often, until soft. Stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Continue cooking until apples are coated with syrup.

French Dip Sandwiches

3 to 4 lbs. beef chuck roast
1 envelope buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix
14 1/2 oz. can beef broth
A few loaves French or Italian bread

Place roast in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove from slow cooker and shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker; sprinkle with dressing mix. Add broth and cook on low setting for an additional 2 hours. Serve on French or Italian bread with a small bowl of the juice from the slow cooker for dipping. Serves 6 to 8.

Cheesy Rice with Broccoli

1 cup long grain rice, cooked
1 - 16 oz. jar pasteurized process cheese sauce (Cheese Wiz)
2 - 10 3/4 oz. cans condenced cream of chicken soup
2 - 16 oz. packages frozen broccoli florets, thawed and chopped

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 3 to 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Creamy Ranch Potatoes

2 lbs. redskin potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 envelope buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can condenced cream of potato soup
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and dressing mix; add soup and mix well. Add cream cheese mixture to slow cooker, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 hours or on high setting for 3 1/2 hours. Before serving, stir to blend. Makes 6 servings.

Slow Cooker Shrimp and Smoked Sausage Jambalaya

Slow Cooker Shrimp and Smoked Sausage Jambalaya

1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped (I use outer stalks of celery hearts)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups smoked sausage, chopped, fully cooked
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, uncooked

Mix all ingredients except shrimp and rice in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in shrimp. Cover and cook on high heat about 1/2 hour or until shrimp are pink and firm. Serve with rice.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves and/or thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup chopped onions
1 - 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
2 - 10 oz. cans condensed cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
1/3 cup water
1 - 8 oz. carton sour cream

Combine chicken pieces, onions and mushrooms in the slow cooker. In a medium sized bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup and water. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and set slow cooker to low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Just before serving, stir in sour cream. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

I have had a slow cooker for about 5 years now...I have used it twice. The first time I made a whole chicken. While it was super tender and fell off the bone, I wasn't crazy about all the liquid that was in the pot. It was more like a soup. Since my husband does not eat beef or pork, my dinners are pretty limited. I have seen recipes for ribs, pot roast and chili in the slow cooker and while they all looked and sounded delicious...it seemed a little silly to make a rack of ribs for myself. Plus, what was my husband going to eat? So I came across this recipe for chicken and dumplings and decided to make it yesterday. I had some friends over for our Winter Swap. All of them, including my mom, commented on how great it smelled and my friend Tara even stopped by this morning to pick some up for lunch!

The recipe I am posting is modified from the original.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

2 packages (about 10 pieces)chicken breast tenderloins, frozen
3 tablespoons butter
2 - 10.75 oz cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 - 10.75 oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1 jar chicken gravy
1 can chicken broth
1 cup frozen chopped onion
2 - 7.5 oz cans refrigerated biscuit dough, pressed flat and cut into strips
Ground black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
Paprika, optional

Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the chicken, butter, soup, gravy, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough broth to cover.
Cover slow cooker, and cook for 8 hours on low. About 60 to 90 minutes before its done, place the biscuit strips in the slow cooker and mix well. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center, mixing at least 2 more times to ensure all the dumplings are cooked. Serve in individual bowls with a sprinkle or paprika.