Slow-Cooker Recipes

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe courtesy of Family Features

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, visible fat discarded, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth
• 1 (14 ½-oz.) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ancho powder
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 corn tortillas (6-inch size), cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
• 1 corn tortilla (6-inch size), torn into pieces
• 2-4 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup finely chopped avocado
• ¼ medium red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips

Directions:
In slow cooker, stir chicken, corn, broth, tomatoes, onion, sugar, ancho powder, garlic and salt. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On baking sheet, arrange tortilla strips in single layer. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until crisp. Transfer baking sheet to cooling rack. Let strips stand 15 minutes, or until cool. Transfer to airtight container and set aside. When soup is ready, transfer 1 cup to food processor or blender. Stir in tortilla pieces. Let mixture stand 1 minute. Process until smooth. Stir mixture into soup. Stir in cilantro. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with avocado, bell pepper and reserved tortilla strips.

Paul’s Jambalaya

Recipe courtesy of Paul Ross

Ingredients:

• ¾ lb. cooked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb. mild kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 lb. hot sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 lb. chicken, cubed
• 1 lb. shrimp, steamed in Old Bay seasoning, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 (15-oz.) cans black beans with juice
• 3 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (4-oz.) cans green chiles, one mild and one hot
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• ½ bag shredded or matchstick carrots
• black pepper to taste
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
Bring all ingredients to a boil in the slow cooker, then reduce to low for 6-8 hours. Stir often. Serve with your choice of rice. Hot sauce(s) on the side to taste.