IN SEASON: THE DiG’S SLOW COOKER FAVS

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Rachel’s Creamy Sausage & Tortellini Soup

• 1 19-ounce bag frozen cheese tortellini

• 1 pound ground sausage (preferably Italian)

• 1 bag fresh spinach

• 2 cans Italian-style diced tomatoes (DO NOT DRAIN)

• 2 12-ounce cans low-fat chicken broth

• 1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, cut into cubes (DO NOT USE FAT FREE)

Brown the sausage in a skillet on the stove top until cooked and crumbled. Drain.

Add the sausage, spinach, tomatoes, chicken broth and cubed cream cheese into slow cooker. Stir to combine.

(Add extra garlic if desired.)

Cook in the slow cooker on LOW for 3-4 hours, stirring twice during cooking. Add tortellini last hour of cooking.

 

Ashleigh’s Buffalo Chicken Rigatoni

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/3 cup Buffalo wing sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened and cubed

• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

• 12 ounces rigatoni, cooked and drained as directed on package

• 1/3 cup bleu cheese crumbles

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with celery salt, salt and pepper; arrange in slow cooker. Pour Buffalo sauce over chicken; stir in garlic. Cover; cook on high heat setting about 2 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut (at least 165°F). Remove chicken and, using two forks, shred into bite-size pieces.

Add cream cheese and cheddar cheese to slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover; cook 15 minutes. Beat with whisk until cheeses have melted into sauce. Add rigatoni and shredded chicken; stir to combine. Cover; cook about 5 minutes or until hot. Garnish with bleu cheese and green onions.

 

Paula’s Beef Bourguignon

• 5 slices bacon, finely chopped

• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut to 1 inch cubes

• 1 cup red wine

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup flour

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped

• 5 medium carrots, sliced

• 1 pound baby potatoes

• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

In a large skillet cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Put bacon in slow cooker. Salt and pepper the beef and add to the skillet and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.

Add the red wine to the skillet scraping down the brown bits on the side. Allow it to simmer and reduce and slowly add chicken broth, and tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in the flour. Add the sauce to the slow cooker.

Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir and cook on LOW until beef is tender, for approximately 8-10 hours or high for 6-8. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes if desired.

 

Pam’s Taco Soup

• 1 can black-eyed peas

• 1 can black beans

• 1 can garbanzo beans

• 1 can chili beans

• 1 can stewed tomatoes

• 1 can Mexicorn

• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

• 1 packet taco seasoning

Brown beef in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or skillet.

Place all other ingredients in slow cooker and stir. Stir in ground beef.

Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Garnish with sour cream and cheese, if desired.

NOTE: Make sure not to drain any of the cans before adding them.