Crock-Pot Thai Soup

Here's the thing about cooking with slow cookers. It's convenient. But only if you're creating a recipe that does not have to get dirty over slow cooker. Like this slow cooker chicken Thai soup.

I am all about time management. I eat breakfast while I wash dishes, brush my teeth while I tie my running shoes. In other words, I'm a multi-tasker, which is not very efficient in getting the most of any of my long list of daily to-dos completed because my mind thinks I have to do more than six things at once.

So these days, unless its a weekend day off my to do list is not always required to spend half an hour making dinner. I do not mean to let it cook, I mean to make dinner.

Enter the genius invention that has been on every wedding registry since 1973 The slow cooker. And this slow cooker chicken Thai soup.

If I'm going to use a slow cooker, I want to make a recipe that I have this brown, saute and dirty one other dish dinner to make my dream come true.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 12 ounce cans of coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon lime juice
cilantro for garnish
cooked white rice

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and peanut butter in a 4-1/2 to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl. Place the chicken breast, red bell pepper, onion and ginger in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

2. Add in the peas and cook for 1/2 hour longer. Stir in lime juice and serve with cilantro and white rice.

Saffron Chicken

INGREDIENTS
Greek or plain whole-milk yogurt
Saffron threads, crushed
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat broiler. Combine 1 1/2 cups yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, a pinch of saffron, and garlic in a large bowl. Add chicken, tossing to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil for 10 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and the surface is browned.

Note: you can add shrimp to get better taste.

Spanish Chicken Stew

INGREDIENTS
1-1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces 
12 ounces red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges 
1 medium onion, thinly sliced 
1 tsp bottled minced garlic (2 cloves) 
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed 
1/4 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp ground black pepper 
1 14 -1/2-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained 
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips 
1/3 cup small pimiento-stuffed olives, cut up 
Bread

DIRECTIONS
1. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in sweet pepper and olives. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. 

2. Serve with bread sticks, if desired.

Rosemary Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS
Slow Cooker Liner
2 medium onions, sliced or chopped
2 tsps bottled minced garlic or 4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 tspss wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
8 ounces dried pasta (such as penne, mostaccioli, or elbow macaroni)
Grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 hours. (Or, cook on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 hours.) When ready to serve, remove bay leaves. Stir mushrooms into chicken mixture; cook for 5 to 10 minutes more to heat through.
  
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Serve the chicken and sauce over the hot cooked pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

French Chicken Stew

INGREDIENTS
Slow cooker liner
4 cups sliced button and/or shiitake mushrooms
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 medium carrots, thinly diagonally sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red potato, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, halved
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
2 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
1 tsp. herbes de Provence or dried Italian seasoning, crushed
3/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (1-3/4 to 2 lb. total)
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 14-oz. jar tomato pasta sauce or one 16-oz. jar Alfredo pasta sauce
French bread (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in pasta sauce. If desired, serve with French bread.