One Month of Slow Cooking

Day #17

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs potatoes - peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups chopped cooked ham
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Place potatoes in slow cooker. Mix cheese with ham. Mix with potatoes. Mix together soup and water. Add garlic powder and spices to taste. Pour over potato mixture. Cover, cook on high 4 hours.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	380kcal
Protein	16g	(31%)
Total Fat	15g	(23%)
Sat.	9g	(44%)
Chol.	48mg	(16%)
Carb.	46g	(15%)
Fiber	6g	(23%)
Sugars	5g
Calcium	323mg	(32%)
Iron	2mg	(9%)

Side Dish Fare:

Serve with a tube of prepared biscuits and a tossed salad.

Amy’s Tips:

This dish can also be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours.

Potatoes can take a long time to cook in a slow cooker, if they are not cut small enough, so be sure to cut the potatoes very thin. A good kitchen investment for this dish (and many others) is a mandolin vegetable slicer. This tool can help you achieve the perfect thinness to your potatoes and help to keep the size of each of them consistent.

Day #18

Slow Cooked Italian Meatloaf

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cups soft breadcrumbs
• ½ cup Marinara sauce
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tablespoons onion – chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning. crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Marinara Sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Fold a 30-inch long piece of foil in half lengthwise. Place in bottom of a slow cooker with both ends hanging over top edge of cooker. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, ground turkey, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, egg, onion, salt, garlic salt, Italian herbs, garlic powder and pepper until well blended. Shape into a loaf. Place in slow cooker on top of foil. Spread 2 tablespoons marinara sauce over top. Cover tightly and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 Hours or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Use ends of foil to lift out meat loaf and transfer to a serving platter.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	309kcal
Protein	26g	(51%)
Total Fat	13g	(19%)
Sat.	4g	(20%)
Chol.	104mg	(35%)
Carb.	21g	(7%)
Fiber	2g	(6%)
Sugars	3g
Calcium	72mg	(7%)
Iron	4mg	(20%)

Side Dish Fare:

Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and corn.

Amy’s Tips:

Feel free to pour more sauce on top of the meatloaf, if you prefer a saucier meatloaf.

You can make this dish into a great lunch by putting the meatloaf between bread with a slice of provolone cheese and eating it as a sandwich.

Day #19

Swiss Chicken Casserole

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 package stuffing mix
• 4 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup

Take 1 package of stuffing mix and mix both dry packets together. Do not add water yet. Place in a slow cooker (coated with cooking spray). Place the 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts on top of the stuffing. Place the Swiss cheese on top of the chicken and then spread the reduced fat cream of mushroom soup on top of the chicken and cheese. Spread evenly. Drizzle 1/4-1/2 cup of warm water around the edges. Cook on low in slow cooker all day.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	290kcal
Protein	26g	(52%)
Total Fat	15g	(23%)
Sat.	7g	(34%)
Chol.	68mg	(23%)
Carb.	12g	(4%)
Fiber	0g	(2%)
Sugars	2g
Calcium	254mg	(25%)
Iron	1mg	(7%)

Side Dish Fare:

Serve with baby sweet peas and a bowl of fresh fruit.

Amy’s Tips:

This dish can also be prepared in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

Day #20

Chicken Lasagna Florentine

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 cans cream of chicken soup - (10-3/4-oz) reduced-fat, reduced-sodium, undiluted
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and squeezed dry (10 ounces)
• 9 oz chicken - diced cooked chicken (two small or one large boneless skinless chicken breast)
• 8 oz sour cream - low-fat
• 1 cup milk
• 2 oz grated parmesan - (1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup onion - chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese - (4 oz) shredded part-skim

Combine first 10 ingredients in large bowl.

Spread about 1/4 cup sauce in bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Add 3 uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking noodles in half as necessary to fit slow cooker. Spread one-third of chicken mixture over noodles, sprinkle with 1/3 cup mozzarella. Layer 3 more noodles, half of remaining chicken mixture, and 1/3 cup mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles and chicken mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese.

Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low-heat setting; cook 5 hours or until pasta is done.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	242kcal
Protein	17g	(34%)
Total Fat	14g	(22%)
Sat.	8g	(40%)
Chol.	59mg	(20%)
Carb.	12g	(4%)
Fiber	1g	(6%)
Sugars	3g
Calcium	279mg	(28%)
Iron	1mg	(7%)

Side Dish Fare:

Serve with a tossed salad & a loaf of French bread.

Amy’s Tips:

A quick way to drain the spinach is to place the spinach in an old kitchen towel. Hold the spinach over the sink and squeeze the spinach (inside the towel) to drain it completely of any excess moisture.

Day #21

Tortellini & Turkey Divine

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey sausage – sweet
• 2 clove garlic– minced
• 2 small onions– chopped
• 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes- 16 ounce cans
• 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 zucchini- sliced
• 1 green bell pepper- chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 package cheese-filled tortellini

In a large pot, cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Drain fat from pan, reserving 3 tablespoons. Cook garlic and onion in reserved fat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, broth, basil, and oregano. Transfer to a slow cooker, and stir in sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, and parsley. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain water, and add pasta to the slow cooker. Simmer for a few minutes, and season with salt and pepper before serving.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	361kcal
Protein	25g	(51%)
Total Fat	11g	(18%)
Sat.	4g	(20%)
Chol.	89mg	(30%)
Carb.	33g	(11%)
Fiber	3g	(12%)
Sugars	4g
Calcium	130mg	(13%)
Iron	3mg	(16%)

Side Dish Fare:

Pair this with Rosemary & Cheese Breadsticks or a loaf of crusty bread (for dipping).

Rosemary & Cheese Breadsticks

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated Parmesan, Asiago, Romano cheese – made by Kraft in the dairy aisle
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 refrigerated breadsticks - (11-ounce)-container refrigerated breadstick dough
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with silicone baking sheets or parchment paper. Pour cheese and chopped fresh rosemary on a paper plate to roll the dough in. Separate the dough strips. Using a pizza cutter or a large sharp knife, cut each dough strip in half lengthwise to form thin strips. Working with dough strip at a time, coat each strip with the cheese mixture, pressing very gently. Twist each cheese covered dough strip and place onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with the salt, if you wish.

Bake until the breadsticks are golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the warm breadsticks to a basket or tall glass and serve.

Amy’s Tips:

Make sure to use wine that you can drink (with your dinner) when adding the wine to this soup. Cooking wines leave an awful flavor and are loaded with sodium.

Day #22

To Die For Pot Roast

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 beef roast - any kind
• 1 package dried brown gravy mix
• 1 package dried Italian salad dressing mix
• 1 package dried ranch dressing mix
• 1 cup water

Place beef roast in slow cooker. Mix the dried mixes together in a bowl and sprinkle over the roast. Pour the water around the roast. Cook on low for seven to nine hours.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	441cal
Protein	28g
Total Fat	31g
Sat.	4g
Chol.	104mg
Carb.	10g

Side Dish Fare:

You can put vegetables (carrots & potatoes) into the slow cooker and cook them with the roast. This creates an all-in-one meal!

Amy’s Tips:

This roast is the best roast ever! It is a challenge, in our house, to have any leftover. If you want to add to the color of the meat sear it in a pan before placing it into the slow cooker.

Day #23

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts - can be frozen
• 2 cups ketchup
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix together all ingredients (except chicken) in slow cooker. Add the chicken, coating each piece in sauce. Cook on high for four hours. Remove chicken and shred/pull with forks. Return to pot and stir in sauce to coat. Serve on toasted buns.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	80kcal
Protein	2g	(3%)
Total Fat	0g	(0%)
Sat.	0g	(0%)
Chol.	0g	(0%)
Carb.	20g	(7%)
Fiber	1g	(4%)
Sugars	17g
Calcium	18mg	(2%)
Iron	1mg	(3%)

Side Dish Fare:

Serve with pretzels & a pitcher of lemonade.

Amy’s Tips:

The leftovers can be frozen and re-heated for sandwiches or can be used for BBQ pizzas. Purchase a prepared crust to save yourself some time. Cover the crust with the leftover BBQ chicken and then top with mozzarella cheese.

Day #24

Taco Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 can chili beans with liquid
• 1 can kidney beans with liquid
• 1 can whole kernel corn with liquid
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 package taco seasoning mix

In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain & set aside. Place the ground beef, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, & taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend and cook on Low setting for eight hours.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories	347kcal
Protein	26g	(53%)
Total Fat	6g	(9%)
Sat.	1g	(7%)
Chol.	44mg	(15%)
Carb.	50g	(17%)
Fiber	16g	(65%)
Sugars	6g
Calcium	105mg	(10%)
Iron	6mg	(33%)

Side Dish Fare:

Serve with tortilla chips & Mexican Cornbread.

Mexican Cornbread

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter - melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 15 ounce cream-style corn, canned - (15 ounce)
• 4 ounces chopped green Chile peppers (canned & drained)
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chilis, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.

Amy’s Tips:

You can top your soup with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. You can also break your chips into it, just like you would with crackers, for a little extra crunch. Leftover soup can be frozen for another meal and served again with a fresh batch of cornbread.