3 Oh-Slow-Good Crock Pot Recipes

Using a crock pot may seem a little bit old school, but actually, it's really forward-thinking. Here are recipes that you can make that can be prepared while you're gone and ready when you come back.

Crock Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

6 bell peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 lb ground turkey
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp turmeric
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
3 cups rice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Cook rice as directed on the package.
Cut off the tops of six bell peppers. Set aside on a dish to use as lids later.
Remove seeds and ribs from peppers.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pan.
Add 1 chopped medium onion and 1 clove of garlic (minced). Cook for 10 minutes.
Add 1 pound of ground turkey to the pan, and cook until the turkey is no longer pink.
Transfer turkey mixture to a large bowl.
Add 3 cups of cooked rice, 2 teaspoons of thyme, 2 teaspoons of oregano, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, and 2 cups of diced tomatoes.
Mix gently, and fold in 1/2 cup of parsley.
Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper (to taste).
In another small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of tomato paste, 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Mix until sugar dissolves, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place half of the tomato paste mixture in the bottom of the crock pot.
Stuff peppers with turkey mixture and place upright in the crock pot.
Spoon the remaining tomato paste on top of the peppers.
Place pepper lids on each pepper.
Cook on low for 6 hours (or on high for 2 hours)

Serve and eat!

Wine Braised Chicken

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
10 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 3/4 pounds), skin removed, trimmed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp (about 4 minutes). Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool.
Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened (3 to 6 minutes). Add garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, pepper and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add tomatoes and their juice and salt; stir well.

Place chicken thighs in a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Sprinkle the bacon over the chicken. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook until the chicken is very tender (about 3 hours on High or 6 hours on Low). Remove the bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Variation: Turn 2 cups each of leftover chicken and sauce into Braised Chicken Gumbo. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium red or green bell pepper and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook, stirring, until the pepper is beginning to soften and the flour is golden brown (about 2 minutes). Add 2 cups of shredded chicken, 2 cups of sauce, 2 cups of reduced-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup of sliced okra (fresh, frozen or thawed), 3/4 cup of instant brown rice and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the flavors meld and the okra is tender (about 10 minutes).

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
fat-free sour cream (optional)

Preparation:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft (3-4 minutes). Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.

To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat-free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!