Quick and Cozy Meals for the Winter Months

Monday: Nanny’s Chicken, Vegetable and Noodle Crock Pot Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small bag baby carrots
• 1 sweet potato, chopped
• 1 package celery hearts, sliced
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes  (optional)
• Garlic to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 2 quarts (12 cups) chicken broth
• Egg noodles
• Grated parmesan cheese

For vegetarians, leave out the chicken and substitute a vegetable based broth for the chicken broth.

Directions - Combine all ingredients except egg noodles and cheese into crock pot. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Before serving boil egg noodles. Drain. Stir into crock pot. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Tuesday:  Crock Pot Easy Roast

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds beef roast
• 6 potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 cubes beef bouillon  or organic beef broth
• 1/2 cup water

Directions: - Cut up vegetables into large chunks and place in crock pot. Place roast on top of vegetables. Put3 bouillon cubes on top of roast and pour in water. Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or High for 4 to 5 hours.

Wednesday:  Crock Pot Country Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions:

• Put the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a crock pot and fill with enough water to cover.
• Cover, and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 1 hour before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the crock pot. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center. They will not look like biscuits, but like little balls of soft dough.

Thursday: One Pot “Take the Chill Away” Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 (5 ounce) cans turkey meat
• 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 (1.25 ounce) packages chili seasoning mix
• 1 (4 ounce) can green chile peppers
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup water

You can substitute canned chicken, fresh ground beef or fresh ground turkey in this recipe. Save time and brown it the night before!

Friday: Crockpot Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 onions, quartered
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions: - Add to all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low, covered, 10-12 hours. Stir occasionally.

Saturday:  The Best Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 3 ounces grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 box ziti with lines (or penne)
• 1 to 2 jars pasta sauce (depends how saucy you like it!)

This recipe freezes well, so if you like it, make a double batch and freeze half.

Directions: - Combine cottage cheese, eggs, grated parmesan cheese and ½ of pasta sauce in a big bowl.  Boil pasta and drain. Add pasta to bowl of mixed ingredients. Line bottom of 9 x 13 pan with sauce.  Add pasta mixture. Top with remaining sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover with tinfoil sprayed with PAM. Bake of 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Remove cover last 10 minutes. 

Sunday: Italian Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 3 quarts (12 cups) Chicken Broth
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 14.5 oz can use a can of diced tomatoes
• 1 9 ounce package refrigerated cheese filled tortellini
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: - Add all ingredients except cheese filled tortellini to a large pot. Boil. Reduce to low. Cover. Add tortellini 15 minutes before serving. Bring to boil. Return to low. Let cook until tortellini is tender. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.