Here’s What’s Cooking

Slow cookers can be helpful any time of the year, but especially during the summer months when the time to prepare the evening meal occurs during the hottest time of the day. It’s much easier to start your meal in a slow cooker early in the day, and let it cook on low all day. This way you can avoid turning on the oven and heating up the house.

These recipes are especially designed for slow cookers, and are easy to prepare, healthy, and delicious. They are taken from “A Potful of Recipes” by JoAnna M. Lund.

Remember, do not turn the slow cooker on until all ingredients have been added and are ready to start cooking.

The great thing about canned beans is that they don’t need soaking, so you can use them right away in a favorite recipe. Stock your pantry with a few cans of beans, and you’ll always have the fixings for a high fiber soup.

16-ounce can pinto beans, rinced and drained

2 cups diced cooked chicken breast

1-1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

16-ounce can chicken broth

1-1/2 cups chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot)

1-1/2 teaspoons chili seasoning

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Spray a slow cooker container with butter flavored cooking spray. In prepared container, combine pinto beans, chicken, and corn. Add chicken broth and salsa. Mix well to combine. Stir in chili seasoning and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

HINT: A rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.

Thaw corn by placing it in a colander and rinsing it under hot water for one minute.

1 pound ground turkey or beef

1 cup diced onion

2 cups diced celery

2 cups diced carrots

3 cups diced raw potatoes

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can tomato soup

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1/3 cup hot water

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat. Spray a slow cooker container with butter-flavored cooking spray. Place browned meat in prepared container. Add onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Mix well to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine mushroom soup, tomato soup, water, parsley flakes and black pepper. Spoon mixture evenly over top. Mix well to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

1 pound ground turkey or beef

1 cup chopped onion

16-ounce can tomatoes, coarsely chopped and undrained

1 can tomato soup

1 cup tomato juice

2 teaspoons chili seasoning

8-ounce can red kidney beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Spray a large skillet with olive-oil flavored cooking spray. Brown meat.

Meanwhile, in a slow cooker container sprayed with olive oil flavored cooking spray, combine onion, undrained tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato juice, and chili seasoning. Stir in kidney beans and uncooked macaroni. Add browned meat. Mix well to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 4 pieces

8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Spray a slow cooker container with butter-flavored cooking spray. Evenly arrange chicken pieces in prepared container.

In a large bowl combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and mustard. Add onion, celery, parsley flakes, and black pepper. Mix well.

Spoon sauce mixture evenly over the chicken pieces. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. When serving, evenly spoon sauce over chicken.

1 pound ground beef or turkey

2 cups diced raw potatoes

1-1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup fozen peas, thawed

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 can tomato soup

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

In a large skillet prayed with butter flavored cooking spray, brown meat. In a slow cooker container sprayed with butter flavored cooking spray, combine browned meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, peas and corn. Stir in tomato soup, water, and parsley flakes.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces lean tenderized minute or cube steaks

1 can tomato soup

1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped and undrained

1 teaspoon Worcestershie sauce

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

Spray a slow cooker container with butter flavored cooking spray. Place flour in a shallow saucer and coat steak pieces on both sides in flour. Evenly arrange coated steak pieces in prepared container.

In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup and undrained tomatoes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, parsley flakes, black pepper, and any remaining flour. Add carrots and onions. Mix well. Evenly spoon mixture over steak.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. When serving, evenly spoon sauce over meat.