Aimee’s Pretty Palate: Take it slow
If you’re anything like me, the last thing you want to think about after a holiday season of making and eating ALL THE THINGS is cook. Give yourself some grace with these easy, yet incredibly delicious slow-cooker meals.
The Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili is a healthier version of a chili recipe you probably already have in your repertoire. Lightened up and tossed into the slow cooker, it is perfect for the (hopefully) chilly weekends ahead. If the cornbread in the photos excites you, you’ll find the recipe for the Sweet Onion Skillet Cornbread on my website; it makes the perfect accompaniment.
Speaking of chilly weekends and cooler temperatures … those guys often like to bring with them runny noses and scratchy throats. Plan ahead to soothe them with my Slow-Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup. Homemade yet super easy, it is comfort food at its finest. And you don’t even have to crank up the stove!
And lastly, the Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies taste exactly as they sound. Bite-size banana bread deliciousness that creatively eliminates all flour. A healthy breakfast cookie to keep your New Year’s resolutions intact? You betcha!
SLOW-COOKER TURKEY CHILI
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground turkey
1½ cups chopped onions
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 (15-oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes (or diced if you like the chunks)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up meat crumbles and cooking until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Place meat mixture in a 6-quart slow cooker and stir in beans. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours.
Serve with my Sweet Onion Skillet Cornbread (find the easy recipe on southernfromscratch.com).
Makes 6-8 servings.
SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Ingredients:
1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. turmeric
32 oz. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups wide egg noodles
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley for garnish
Place whole chicken breasts on bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker and top with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and turmeric.
Add chicken broth and season with salt and pepper (I used about ½ tsp. of each, but the broth you use will determine if you need more). Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.
Remove chicken breasts and cut into bite-size pieces. Return chicken to slow cooker. Add egg noodles. Cover and cook until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Note: If you’re not ready to enjoy the soup right away, skip adding the noodles and instead cook them separately and add to the soup when ready.
Makes 6-8 servings.
BANANA BREAD BREAKFAST COOKIES
