CTB 2014 - Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

I have owned a slow cooker for at least the past ten years. The majority of recipes that I've made in it? Oatmeal. I once made white hot chocolate in the slow cooker. We had a cookie exchange and I decided white hot chocolate would be super festive.  It was not popular. Anyways... I've only recently taken to using the slow cooker for other, more time saving purposes.

With my previous job, I left the house at 6:45 am and didn't return until 6:45 pm. Once I go home, I would hit the kitchen and try to whip up something tasty. I shied away from the slow cooker because I was away from home just too long. (It is suggested that you only let raw chicken sit at room temperature for one hour before turning on the slow cooker.)  With my new job, I'm away from home a much more reasonable ten hours, perfect timing to use the slow cooker for dinner!

I'm finally able to use this cookbook and I'm so excited. I've had this cookbook in my collection for just as long as I've had my current slow cooker. The cookbook is complete with breakfasts, pastas, desserts and of course, the necessary hearty slow cooker dishes, like this one! Slow Cooker Cacciatore.

It was so nice coming home to a home cooked meal, without all of the effort! I'm thinking of making a slow cooker meal at least once a week. What are your favorite things to make in the slow cooker? I'm looking for some delicious inspiration.

One Year Ago: Cherry Kuchen Bars
Two Years Ago: Oatmeal Blueberry Bagels
Three Years Ago: Orange Challah French Toast

Chicken Cacciatore

Adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

1 20-ounce jar tomato sauce
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons water

2 cups egg noodles

The night before...

Pour half the jar of tomato sauce into your crock pot insert (I used a large, round crock pot).  Add ingredients in the following order - onion, garlic, bell pepper, chicken, mushrooms & remaining tomato sauce.  Put on the lid and put your crock pot insert in the fridge.

In the morning...

Place insert into the crock pot.  If you are using a timer, be sure to start it no more than 1 hour later.  Cook for 7 hours on low.

In the evening...

Remove chicken from the crock pot and cover with foil to keep warm. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil egg noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, white wine and water. Add this to the sauce in the crock pot and turn it up to high.  Whisk together and let cook for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened.  Drain noodles. Pour thickened sauce over chicken & serve over egg noodles.