Crockpot Italian Meatball and Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

Soup base

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced (approximately 1⅓ tablespoons)

• 4 tablespoons tomato paste

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Seasonings

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Meatballs, pasta, and vegetables

• 1 (24-ounce) package frozen, fully cooked Italian meatballs

• 1 (18- to 20-ounce) package frozen cheese tortellini

• 5 ounces fresh baby spinach

• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Instructions

Step 1. Prepare the soup base

For deeper flavor, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute.

Transfer to the crockpot.

For a quicker preparation, skip the sautéing and add the onion, garlic, olive oil, and tomato paste directly to the crockpot.

Step 2. Combine the ingredients

Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes.

Stir thoroughly to distribute the tomato paste.

Add the frozen meatballs and gently stir.

Step 3. Slow cook

Cover and cook on:

• LOW for 4–5 hours

• HIGH for 2–3 hours

The meatballs should be thoroughly heated, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 4. Add the tortellini

Approximately 30 minutes before serving, turn the crockpot to HIGH.

Stir in the frozen cheese tortellini, making sure the pasta is submerged in the broth.

Cover and cook for 20–30 minutes, until the tortellini is tender. Check after 15 minutes to prevent overcooking.

Step 5. Add the spinach and Parmesan

When the tortellini is almost tender, stir in the baby spinach.

Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until wilted.

Turn off the crockpot. Gradually stir in the grated Parmesan until incorporated.

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or broth as desired.

Step 6. Serve

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan.

Baked apples

 For four generously filled apples, mix:

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup dried cherries, roughly chopped if large
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• A small pinch of cloves or allspice
• A good pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons softened or melted butter

Core the apples generously without cutting through the bottoms, then pack in the filling. If some remains, mound it on top or scatter it around the apples—no need to respect architectural boundaries.

Put about ¼ cup water or apple juice around them while they cook. If you want them especially lush, add another little pat of butter atop each apple.

That should give you brown sugar in every bite, plenty of cherry, and enough pecan for texture without turning the filling into trail mix.

One Pan Lemon Chicken

 1 box pasta

1 jar sundried tomatoes

diced chicken breast

lemon

salt/pepper

smoked paprika

jarred garlic

chicken stock (use enough to cover pasta)

Cup of frozen peas

Add borsin cheese, or parm, whatever you have on hand. 

1. In a bowl, drizzle oil from sundried tomatoes over chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add smoked paprika generously. 

2. Over medium-high  heat fry chicken for a couple of minutes till brown on both sides - do not cook through. Use lemon juice to deglaze the pan.

3. Drizzle in a little oil from tomatoes and oil,  generous table spoon of garlic. Add broth till pasta is covered. 

4. Cover pan and cook on low till pasta is about done approx. 10 minutes. (about 80%). 

5. Add cheese and peas. Cover, turn heat to simmer and cook another 5 minutes till everything is cooked through. 

Crock Pot Pork Roast With Sweet Potatoes Ingredients

 

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (4 lb) boneless pork loin roast
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Sear the pork: In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix flour, salt, and pepper, then dredge pork loin in the mixture. Sear pork for 1–2 minutes per side until golden.
2. Layer the slow cooker: Place sweet potatoes and chopped onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the pork roast on top.
3. Season and sauce: Sprinkle garlic powder over the pork, then pour BBQ sauce evenly over the top.
4. Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until pork is cooked through and sweet potatoes are tender.
5. Serve: Slice the pork and serve with sweet potatoes and sauce from the slow cooker.

Creamy Tortellini Soup

 An easy and creamy Cheese Tortellini and Spinach Soup takes about 20 to 30 minutes to make in a single pot. [1, 2, 3]

Ingredients

2 cans chicken or vegetable broth (14.5 oz each, or 32 oz total)
1 package cheese tortellini (9 oz, fresh or frozen)
5 oz fresh baby spinach (or 10 oz frozen chopped spinach)
1 small yellow onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional, for a creamy broth)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping)
Salt, black pepper, and half a pack of Good Season Zesty Italian  (to taste) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

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Instructions

Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. [1, 2]
Simmer the broth: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. [1, 2]
Cook the tortellini: Add the cheese tortellini to the boiling broth. Reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer and cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes (or according to package directions) until the tortellini floats and is tender. [1, 2]
Add cream and spinach: Turn off the heat or reduce to low. Stir in the heavy cream (if using), grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh baby spinach. Stir gently until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts into the broth. [1, 2]
Season and serve: Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan cheese. [1, 2]

Peach Cobbler Chat and the Birth of Floral Confetti Cat Part 3

 For the sake of brevity (if three posts can be brief), this is a summarized transcript of an evening long conversation which retains both the my own voice and that of Sol. We work very well together! 

There is no such thing as solitary cross-stitching in a house full of cats.

This is particularly true when beginning a floral cat.

As I started testing a new project, one cat settled behind me on the chair.

Another positioned himself directly under my elbow and repeatedly bumped my arm while I tried to type.

A third supervised from across the room.

At one point my phone began sending messages before I could correct them, resulting in several mysterious fragments of conversation.

I initially blamed the technology.

This was unfair.

The technology had accomplices.

Meanwhile, the actual stitched cat was undergoing evaluation.

The chart was suspicious.

The palette was questionable.

The confetti was outrageous.

The first stitches were so pale they were barely visible.

Still, after only a handful of stitches, the shadow of a leg appeared.

Then the blue tip of a paw.

The household committee did not formally announce its decision, but nobody sat directly on the fabric, which I am choosing to interpret as conditional approval.

This is the thing about stitching with cats around.

They contribute.

Sometimes they contribute fur.

Sometimes they contribute movement at the exact moment one is counting across twenty-count fabric.

Sometimes they contribute an elbow collision that causes a perfectly sensible sentence to become unintelligible.

Occasionally they simply sleep nearby, which is the most useful contribution available to them and the one they seem least interested in making.

And every so often they become part of the history of the piece.

Years later, I may remember the pattern, the artist who inspired it, the colors I changed, and whether I eventually added backstitch.

But I will also remember the night the first forty-five stitches went in.

I will remember the cat under my elbow.

I will remember another asleep behind me.

I will remember looking across the room at the third member of the committee and realizing that Floral Confetti Cat was being brought into existence under peer review.

This is probably why cat hair appears in full-coverage cross-stitch.

It is not contamination.

It is documentation.

Bread Maker Banana

 If your bread machine has a Cake, Quick Bread, or Quick Cake setting, this recipe works well:

Bread Machine Cake Mix Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)

• 3 large eggs

• ⅓ cup melted butter or vegetable oil

• Optional: ¾ cup chocolate chips or 1 cup chopped walnuts (Bread Dad)

Directions

1. Remove the kneading paddle if your machine's manual recommends it for quick breads.

2. Add mashed bananas, eggs, and melted butter/oil to the bread pan.

3. Add the cake mix on top.

4. Select the Cake, Quick Bread, or Quick Cake cycle.

5. After mixing begins, scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula if needed.

6. Add chocolate chips or nuts when the machine beeps for add-ins (or about 5 minutes into mixing).

7. Bake through the cycle. Test with a toothpick; it should come out mostly clean.

8. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely. (Bread Dad)

Tips

• Yellow cake mix gives the most traditional flavor, but butter pecan, spice cake, or vanilla cake mix also work well. (Bread Dad)

• Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best flavor. (Bread Dad)

• If your machine does not have a Cake or Quick Bread setting, use the Dough/Mix cycle to combine ingredients, then bake in a loaf pan in the oven at 325°F for 60–70 minutes. (Allrecipes)

Air Fryer Tips

 

Honey Garlic Chicken with Mushrooms

 Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts (sliced thin)

1 cup mushrooms (sliced)

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

Salt & pepper to taste

Crock pot spinach and artichoke dip

 To make a delicious crock pot spinach and artichoke dip, follow these simple steps:

1. Combine 8 oz of chopped spinach and 8 oz of chopped artichokes in the crock pot.
2. Add 16 oz of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.
3. Mix in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally until creamy and heated through.
6. Serve warm with tortilla chips, bread, or veggies for dipping.

Slow Cooker Loaded Chicken and Potatoes

 

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 3 1/2 tablespoon ranch dressing mix

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 1/2 pounds yellow baby new potatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 6 ounces cream cheese, cubed at room temperature

• 1/4 cup ranch dressing

• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided, plus more for garnish

• cooked and crumbled bacon to taste

• thinly sliced scallions for garnish

1. Stir together chicken broth and ranch dressing mix in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker until combined. Add chicken breasts in an even layer over broth mixture, followed by an even layer of potatoes. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are fork tender, about 2 hours and 45 minutes on HIGH or about 3 hours and 45 minutes on LOW.

3. Remove chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool slightly for 5 minutes. Coarsely shred the chicken using 2 forks.

4. Add cream cheese, ranch dressing, and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until cheeses begin to melt and potatoes are fully tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir cheese mixture until just about fully combined.

5. Add shredded chicken back to slow cooker and stir until evenly coated in cheese mixture.

6. Divide among 8 shallow bowls. Garnish with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese, top with bacon and scallions. Serve immediately.

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

2 hrs 55 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 5 mins

Servings:

8

Yield:

8 cups

https://www.allrecipes.com/slow-cooker-loaded-chicken-and-potatoes-recipe-8678923

Breakfast Casserole

 

ingredients

• 2lbs sausage, browned and drained
• 2cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 12ounces cream of chicken soup
• 1cup sour cream
• 8ounces French onion dip
• 1⁄8cup onion, chopped (optional)
• 1⁄4cup green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1⁄4cup red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1(16 ounce) bag frozen shredded hash browns
• 2 cup milk

directions

• Combine 1 3/4 cups cheese and next 6 ingredients.
• Fold in potatoes.
• Spread half of the mixture into a baking dish (9x13 inches).
• Top with sausage.
• Top with remaining potato mixture.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Cover.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

https://www.facebook.com/reel/25928172983446939 

3 pounds of ground beef, precooked and drained

2 McCormick brown gravy mixes

1 can mushroom soup

peas

carrots

onion

Frozen corn

paprika

onion powder, garlic powder

cut baby potatoes or mashed potatoes

Half way through cooking, add 2 cups beef broth

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole

32 ounces frozen hash brown potatoes (1 bag)

1 lb bacon, sausage or ham cooked, crumbled or diced

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 green onions sliced

1 small white onion finely diced, or 1/2 cup 

12 eggs

1 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1. If using bacon or sausage, cook and crumble. Drain fat leaving 1 tablespoon in the pan.

2. If desired, soften the onion in the fat. This is optional but will soften the flavor of the onion

3. Grease a 6 qt slow cooker. Place half of the hash browns, meat, onions, peppers, and cheese in the slow cooker. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Do not stir.

4. Whisk eggs, milk and seasonings in a medium bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker.

5. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Once cooked, uncover and rest for 15 minutes. 

 

Air fryer chicken wings

 

How to Bake Wings So They Get Crispy

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan.
2. Pat wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss wings with oil and salt.
4. Arrange wings skin-side up on the rack.
5. Bake 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
6. For extra crispiness, raise oven to 450°F for the final 5 minutes.
7. Rest briefly, then sauce.