Southwest Slowcooker Chicken

Wow! So I can't believe I haven't posted for a year! A lot has changed in that time! I've had a beautiful baby girl. She's the reason I am totally loving slow cooker recipes right now! She always seems the most awake during the late afternoon when I normally make supper! The slow cooket allows me to get my prep done earlier in the day so supper is ready when my husband gets home from work! I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe I've seen all over Pinterest. I've combined a few recipes to make one I like! Even better, it makes a ton so I leftovers for my husband's lunch and supper the next night! Give it a try tonight!

4-6 chicken breast
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
2 cans corn, drained
2 cups salsa
1 packet taco seasoning
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese.
Tortillas and shredded cheese for serving

Place chicken in slow cooker. Top with black beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning. Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3. Pull chicken out of slow cooker and shred. Put back in slow cooker. Cube cream cheese and stir into chicken mixture. Cook one additional hour. Serve with tortillas, cheese, and whatever else you like!

You can also use this as a freezer meal by throwing raw chicken in a freezer bag with corn, beans, salsa, and taco seasoning. I put this in my slow cooker frozen and it turned out wonderful!

Slow Cooker Ranch Pork Roast and Potatoes

Dylan loves ranch flavored anything so when I came across this recipe on Six Sisters Blog I knew I had to try it. I had also been looking for good pork recipes. I like pork because it is a nice change from the usual chicken we eat. If you haven't noticed, many pork recipes contain fruit. I don't really do fruit and meat except during very rare occasions. It just really doesn't do much for me. I was excited to find this recipe! It was a hit!

• 2 1/2 pound pork roast (I used a pork loin roast, Six Sisters used a pork shoulder)
• 4-6 potatoes depending on size (I used six small potatoes)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (I used reduced fat and it was fine)
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix
• 1 can cream of chicken soup

Start by spraying your slow cooker with cooking spray. Cut potatoes in half and place in bottom of slow cooker. Place pork roast on top. In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, ranch mix, and chicken soup (I used a hand mixer). Spread evenly on top of roast. I cooked this on high for four hours. Six Sisters states that you can also do low for 9-10 hours. This makes a big meal and could probably serve eight people. I'm excited to take this with me to work tomorrow for round two! And I think we may be having it for supper tomorrow night too...

***If you have never been to Six Sister blog, check it out! They have great crafts and recipes!***

Cream Cheese Crock-Pot Chicken

I have recently discovered the joys of using a Crock-Pot. I have a list of recipes I would love to try using my Crock-Pot! So you will be seeing many more in the future!  This recipe was a big hit with my husband who loves Alfredo sauce. Although different from Alfredo sauce, it does have similarities. I like to think it is not as bad for me as this does not include heavy cream! Is cream cheese any better? I used reduced-fat! This chicken is great served over noodles. You could also serve over biscuits, rice, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes... basically any carb you can find! The possibilities are endless!

• 2-4 chicken breasts (I put mine in frozen! I didn't know this until I was reading her blog)
• 1 can cream of onion soup (or whatever "cream of" soup you want. Chicken, mushroom, celery, potato...)
• 1 packet italian dressing mix (I found this at Meijer in the condiments aisle by the ranch dressing mixes)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 package reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine (I say stick with the white wine :-) You will sleep better.)
• Hot noodles or other carb of choice

Start by putting the chicken broth/white wine in the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Add chicken. Cover with cream of onion soup, italian dressing mix and garlic. Cook on low for 5-7 hours, depending on how warm your Crock-Pot is. Mine cooks fast, probably because it is big and I never fill it full enough. About a half hour before you are ready to eat, cut cream cheese into cubes and stir everything together. Heat an additional 20-30 minutes until cream cheese is melted.  In the meantime you can boil noodles, rice, or mash some potatoes!

Do you hate to clean your Crock-Pot? I know I sure do! There is nothing worse. My mom introduced me to these handy bags. Sometimes you can find coupons for them too. I always buy them at Meijer (they are much cheaper there than online) and they are found by the plastic wrap and tin foil.