Crockpot Honey Balsamic Pork Roast

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Crockpot Honey Balsamic Pork Roast.

Oh my dear programmable crockpot – how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways….

All kidding aside, I do love cooking in the crockpot, and I love this new one I got that is programmable and then keeps dinner warm once its done cooking.  They have come such a long way since the first one I got oh so many years ago as a newlywed.  I use it at least once a week – especially in the colder weather months.

This past Sunday was a bit of a cold, lazy day, so this Honey Balsamic Pork Roast was just the ticket for dinner.  That hubby of mine is going to make a pork lover out of me yet!

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A tender white meat pork loin with a full flavored simple sauce that turns into a rich, easy gravy warmed up and filled our tummies – especially with a dollop of mashed potatoes and healthy serving of steamed broccoli.

Just look at that yumminess!  I am beginning to think pork is the “other white meat” Hubby keeps trying to convince chicken-lover me into believing.

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Here is the simple, yet hearty and flavorful recipe I slightly adapted from SixSisterStuff.   Hope you’ll give it a try.

Crockpot Honey Balsamic Pork Roast

Ingredients:crockpot-honey-balsamic-pork-roast-with-onions

  • 2-3 lb. pork loin roast
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup beef broth (I made using 1 cup water and 1 beef bouillon cube)
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I realized I was out, so used Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing – I am the queen of improvising!)
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Place pork roast in crockpot and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Drizzle honey over top of roast.  Add rest of ingredients except for the last two (butter and flour).  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

When ready to serve, remove roast to cutting board to rest.  In a small saucepan, melt butter, then whisk in flour to create a roux.  When thickened, pour juice from crockpot into roux, and stir to incorporate and thicken into gravy.  Slice roast and serve with gravy.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Oodles of Zoodles

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Oodles of Zoodles.

Has anyone else joined the zoodle craze?

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Low carb, low calorie, gluten free, grain free, wheat free, healthy, nutritious, unprocessed, vegetarian, cheap and and easy ZOODLES!

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Zoodles are zucchini noodles.  Or better put, vegetable noodles made from spiral cut zucchini.  They can be used in so many ways!

I recently purchased a SpiralLife Vegetable Slicer, and couldn’t wait to give it a try.  Super inexpensive at $14.99 on Amazon, it was easy to use, easy to clean, and easy on the wallet.

I made my zoodles to accompany a light dinner of Lemon Butter Chicken this week, and we loved them.

I simply sauteed them ever so briefly in olive oil with salt and pepper and a couple cloves of minced garlic.  After about two minutes, I added a handful of halved grape tomatoes and a generous grating of fresh Parmigiano reggiano cheese.  After sauteeing another two minutes, my zoodles were ready to serve and eat.  Yum!

How are you making your zoodles?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Crockpot Cuban Shredded Beef

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It was so cold this past Sunday and hunkering in was the order of the day.  While watching football playoffs (our Pittsburgh Steelers won!), I wanted a no fuss, but warm and comforting dinner to eat afterwards.

Beef chuck roasts are so versatile and cook so tender and juicy in the crockpot.  I make them a variety of ways, but wanted to try something new and different, and this Cuban Shredded Beef was just the ticket!  So yummy over a bed of rice with beans!  We’ll surely be eating them wrapped in tortillas this week too.

A tiny bit of a spicy kick and tons and tons of flavor make this easy recipe a new winner in my book.  And if you can’t get warmed up on the outside, this one will warm you up from the inside out!

I adapted this recipe slightly from Little Spice Jar.

Crockpot Cuban Shredded Beef

Ingredientscrockpot-cuban-shredded-beef

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 1/2 lbs. beef chuck roast
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. oil
  • 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced sweet bell peppers
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 2 4-oz. cans chopped green chilies
  • 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 2  Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime

Directions:

Make 3 deep “x” cuts into the chuck roast. Insert 3 whole garlic cloves into the cuts. Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the chuck roast and fry on each side for 5 minutes to sear.  Don’t cover the pan as the meat will end up steaming rather than searing.

Chop the remaining 3 cloves of garlic, and add to crockpot along with all the remaining ingredients except for the lime. Cover and let cook on the low setting for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When the beef falls apart easily when pulled with two forks, it’s done. Shred the beef with the forks and stir.

Serve over a bed of rice with beans on the side topped with additional cilantro and a few lime wedges. You can also use the shredded beef for burritos, quesadillas or tacos.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Quick & Easy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

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Quick & Easy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

What a lovely treat it was to make for dinner earlier this week after all of the rich party foods of the holidays.

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After prime rib and tenderloin and rich macaroni and cheese casseroles and haluski and snacks and cookies for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, followed by the generous bereavement food gifts, the New Year’s Eve snacks and New Year’s Day kielbasa and sauerkraut, it was wonderful to make a clean, quick and simple winner winner chicken and broccoli stir fry dinner with whole wheat pasta.

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This is so simple and so delicious, it is a perfect go-to staple for a weeknight dinner.  I’ll bet it would be great with shrimp too for a change up, but I was really in the mood for chicken.  Chicken is the one protein I actually crave.

Here is the recipe as I adapted slightly from what I found at Damn Delicious.  Hope you will enjoy as much as we did.

Quick & Easy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:quick-and-easy-chicken-broccoli-stir-fry-1

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
  • 1 lb broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
  • Sauce:
    • 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsp.  oyster sauce
    • 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
    • 1 tsp. ground ginger
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
    • 1 Tbsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce (more or less for your taste)

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and Sriracha; set aside.   Reserve 2 tablespoons.

In a medium bowl, combine reserved 2 tablespoons sauce and chicken; set aside to marinade.  This can be done several hours ahead to tenderize and flavor chicken.

Cook pasta according to package instructions.   In the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add broccoli.  Rinse and drain well.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet,  add chicken, and cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in pasta, broccoli and remaining sauce until heated through and coated, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Quick & Easy Vegetable Lo Mein

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What do you make when you have A LOT of leftover spaghetti?

I made this super quick and easy vegetable lo mein last night while baking cookies for an upcoming cookie exchange.

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Are you like me and have a hard time judging how much spaghetti to cook?

Our youngest son came over Sunday, so I made one of his favorite chicken dishes, Pepperoni Chicken.  I wanted to make sure to make enough extra so he could take a meal or two home with him, so I got a teensy bit carried away and made two pounds of whole wheat spaghetti.

After I filled a gallon Ziploc bag about 2/3 full and he started calling “halt” to any more, I realized I still had half of what I made left.

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Since I had some leftover cut up veggies, tossing them together and making a quick sauce, made this dinner come together in about 10 minutes!  Can’t beat that – right?

You could really use any vegetables you have on hand.  Here is how I made mine.  Use it as a base recipe to flex to your taste!  I imagine mushroom lovers would totally enjoy them thrown in.  Want a protein?  Add some leftover chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp.  I’ll bet some steamed broccoli or fresh green beans and/or sliced sweet peppers would be great too!  You could even toss in some water chestnuts or peanuts, walnuts, or sliced almonds.

Quick & Easy Vegetable Lo Mein

Ingredients:

  • 1/2-1 lb spaghetti (I used whole wheat)
  • 2 Tbsp oil (olive, sesame, canola or vegetable)
  • 1/2 sweet onion chopped
  • 1 cup shredded or chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup green peas
  • Sauce – Whisk together:
    • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
    • 2 Tbsp honey
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • Dash Sriracha hot sauce

Directions:

Heat oil in stir fry skillet.  Add vegetables and cook 3-5 minutes until crisp-tender.  Add spaghetti and sauce.  Cook until heated through 1-2 minutes.

That’s it!  Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Quick & Easy Crispy Pork Stir Fry


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Stir frying any kind of protein with your favorite veggies makes a quick, easy, and healthy weeknight dinner.

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Yesterday, I pulled a small piece of pork tenderloin out of the freezer in the morning with no idea what I was going to do with it.

By 6 pm, I decided I better figure out something to do with it.  After all, the spaghetti and meatballs I made for Sunday’s dinner, that hubby also ate leftovers of on Monday while I was out of town, and that we made into meatball hoagies  onTuesday was losing it’s charm and appeal!

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A quick “google” resulted in a few ideas I combined to come up with this quick and easy, but more importantly AMAZING Crispy Pork Stir Fry!  Coating the thinly sliced pork with seasoned salt and cornstarch before stir frying resulted in a wonderfully crispy coating and texture, and the simple sauce really packs a flavor punch!  You can use whatever veggies you have on hand or love.  Some may love mushrooms, snow peas, sugar snap peas, green beans, and/or water chestnuts.  Stir frying is one of my favorite ways to create a healthy, colorful, delicious, fast, and easy weeknight dinner.

Hope you give this a try!

Quick & Easy Crispy Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients:quick-and-easy-crispy-pork-stir-fry-01

  • 1 lb. pork tenderloin or sirloin, sliced thinly
  • 1 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
  • 1/2 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup sliced sweet red, yellow and/or orange peppers
  • 1 cup steamed broccoli
  • Sauce
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 3 Tbsp brown sugar
    • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Sprinkle thinly sliced pork with seasoned salt and cornstarch in a bowl with a lid or Ziploc bag.  Shake to coat.

Prepare sauce by combining garlic, pepper, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small bowl.  Stir well, and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large stir fry skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onions, peppers, and minced garlic.  Stir fry approximately 2-3 minutes.  Remove from skillet, and set aside.  Add the other 1 Tbsp. oil and heat for 1 minute.  Add coated pork, and stir fry approximately 5 minutes.  Add steamed broccoli and return onion, peppers and garlic to skillet with all.  Stir fry an additional minute.  Add sauce and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Serve over steamed jasmine (or your favorite) rice.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Pappardelle with Beef Ragu

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We had our first snow of the season here in Mars yesterday.

Not only did it snow, but it snowed ALL day!

After a 73 degree F day on Friday, it was quite a shock, but also such a glorious treat for a lazy Sunday to build a fire in the morning and burn it all day long while cooking and watching football and reading and resting.

After a very busy and exciting week, it was nice.  It was also the first day I didn’t see my new granddaughter since she was born, so I am thankful for text messages and IM pictures and so proud of her Mom and Dad for the amazing job they are doing.  They are naturals, and my heart is so very full.

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My belly is full too….. after making and feasting on this amazing recipe I tweaked a bit from Jamie Oliver’s recipe.

What a perfect dish to cook for hours on a cold day teasing our noses with the amazing aroma and warming the house with the oven on for hours.  Jamie Oliver does his in a pressure cooker.  You could also do this in the crockpot.  But we were home all day, and I was perfectly content to have the oven on.

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I swear I am a “wannabe” Italian!  I adore Italian food.  In Italian cuisine, ragu is a meat-based sauce that is commonly served with pasta.  Pappardelle are large, broad, flat pasta noodles that originate from the Tuscany region and are similar to wide fettuccine. The name derives from the verb “pappare,” which means to gobble up.

Isn’t Papparedelle so much more fun to say than wide noodles?  And doesn’t it sound so much more delicious?!

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Hubby said I could definitely make this for company!  It is so full of flavor!  I could just lick the sauce from a spoon!  And then…… when you top it with a tiny bit of finely grated orange zest and rosemary…. the flavors just BURST with freshness too.  The balance between tender slow cooking with deep, layered flavors and fresh, bright citrus – even though just a tiny bit – is simply amazing!

Here is the recipe as I slightly tweaked from Jamie Oliver’s recipe shared in The New York Times.  Hope you will give it a try.

Pappardelle with Beef Ragu

Ingredients:beef-ragu-with-pappardelle-2

  • 2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 Tbsp finely chopped leaves for garnish
  • 2 sprigs fresh sage
  • 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 3-4 celery stalks, thickly sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced sweet red and yellow peppers (optional)
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 pound pappardelle
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in dutch oven on stove top over medium-high heat.  Add beef cubes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir until beef is well browned on all sides, about 5 mins.  Add rosemary and sage sprigs, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and sweet peppers. Continue cooking until vegetables are softened, about 5 more mins.

Add wine and continue to simmer until liquid has reduced by approximately half, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes.  Secure lid and place in oven for 3 1/2 hours.

Cook pappardelle in boiling salted water for 6-7 minutes until al dente.   Drain and rinse in cold water.  Return pasta to pot.  Add butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.   Mix gently, cover with lid, and let butter melt.

Remove beef ragu from oven.  Discard herb stems and coarsely shred beef with two forks.

To serve, place pappardelle in shallow bowl, top with beef ragu, sprinkle with orange zest, finely minced rosemary and some more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Taste of Italy in the ‘Burgh

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What a fun evening we had with friends this weekend when we had the privilege of enjoying a private dining experience at Merante’s special upstairs kitchen where “Mamma” Maria and her long-time assistant, Linda, made us feel like family around the Sunday supper table!

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What a unique experience this was!  Merante’s is a quaint Italian gift shop in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where beautiful gifts from pasta bowls and fine ceramics (and even the game of Italy-Opoly) are sold and cooking classes and Italian-themed events are hosted.

My sweet, long-time (Italian!) friend, Mary, found this little gem and invited a group of friends (several months in advance, which is necessary due to its popularity) to bring a few bottles of wine and dine Italiano style (complete with clear plastic covered dining table cloth!).

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Are you ready to see all the amazing food?!
A special thanks to Mary and Jill for sharing their iPhone photos with me to feature here.

I may have forgotten to bring my camera…
my iPhone may have been down to 3% battery…
and I may have been a bit too tipsy on red wine and sweet red sauce to take clear photos, but they were awesome to share!

We arrived at 6 pm and climbed the stairs to the “apartment” above the shop.  We were escorted to the parlor where wine glasses and cork screws awaited our unloading of a “few” bottles of BYOB wine.

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An amazing array of appetizers was served…
Seriously enough for a meal, and we could have been done!

There were stuffed mushrooms…

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and stuffed tomatoes (MY FAVE!).

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There was succulent shrimp…

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and there were spicy meatballs.

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There was a cheesy quiche…

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And the most divine version of Caprese with sweet roasted red peppers and plump mozzarella.

But this was only a teaser of what was to come!

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After a few cheers and intros, we moved into the kitchen where we began with the most amazing bowl of Stracciatella – an Italian soup that is made from a simple but flavorful chicken stock kept at a delicate simmer until  a creamy mixture of eggs, Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley are whisked in to form the “little threads” that take the place of pastina.  Grandma’s polish version was called “Egg Drop” soup.

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This may have been my favorite course, if it weren’t for the next, which was the pasta course!  Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is Maria’s handmade ricotta gnocchi gently turned with her creamy, dreamy red sauce and topped with tiny bits of fresh mozzarella and fresh basil.  THIS was absolutely my favorite course!

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As if we weren’t absolutely full-bellied by now, the main course was served next.  Mary chose the juicy, tender roast tenderloin of pork, which was surrounded by a ring of seasoned roasted root veggies.  My favorite was the fresh beets!

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And because you get to also pick a vegetable (since cauliflower, beets, butternut squash and green beans are not enough!), we also had rosemary roasted potatoes.

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In true Italian style, the salad was served next (last before dessert), which is completely opposite of how most American restaurants serve salad first.  And this salad….  OMG…. if I weren’t so full, this may have won for my favorite course!  We had the most amazing Apple, Pecan, and Gorgonzola Romaine Salad with tart dried cranberries drizzled with tangy balsamic vinaigrette – a perfect combination of sweet, salty and crunchy…Yum!

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It was then time for dessert.

First, Maria placed an overflowing tray of Italian cookies in the center of the table.

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And, as if that wasn’t enough, a beautiful parfait of chocolate hazelnut gelato, shipped fresh from Italy, was served to each of us with a cup of freshly pressed and sweetened Espresso.

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I still can’t believe we ate all that food…

I can’t believe how sweet Maria and Linda were…

I can’t believe how reasonable the whole experience was!

And all of the leftovers were packed up in “to go” containers for us to continue to enjoy!

I couldn’t even bring myself to each a cookie that evening, but oh how glorious did the chocolate dipped biscotti taste the next morning with my coffee!

The only thing better than the amazing food was the wonderful fellowship of friends!  If you live in, or are ever planning to travel to the Pittsburgh area, what a treat it is to enjoy this special dining experience at Merante’s!

One day, I will actually get to visit Italy…

Until then, I will visit Maria at Merante’s and experience a little taste of Italy in the “Burgh!”

Cheers and Ciaos,
Jodi

 

 

 

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Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

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It is such a great time of year to slow cook meals in the crockpot.  And if you love the sweet and spicy flair of many Asian chicken dishes, you are going to love this fast and easy way to make a real crowd pleaser.

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It seriously goes together in under 10 minutes, makes your house smell wonderful all day, and creates a dinner that tastes like you slaved.

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Serve it with your favorite rice or noodle.  My son even liked it shredded up on a bun as a sandwich as it is so tender and juicy and falls apart that easy.  Serve with a salad, and you know it – you have another….

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

I made this for the last dinner before my son moved out this weekend and sent the leftovers with him.  He can enjoy it again in his new home.

Here is the recipe the way I made it.  Feel free to adjust hot sauces and seasonings to your taste.

Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:crockpot-honey-garlic-chicken-2

  • 2 lbs. Boneless Chicken Breast and Thighs (combo or one or the other if you prefer)
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Cholula hot sauce
  • 4-5 cloves fresh minced garlic
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smokey paprika chipotle (optional)

Directions:

  • Place chicken pieces in bottom of crockpot.
  • Combine remaining ingredients and pour over top of chicken.
  • Cook on low 4-5 hours.  Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sesame seeds.
  • Serve over rice (I love brown rice and quinoa combo) and sprinkle with additional sesame seeds if desire.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac ‘n Cheese

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While my furry son was busy playing pumpkin bowling in the front lawn the other day when I was at the office, my chicken-lovin‘* son (who is amazingly turning into quite the cook!) kindly prepared a scrumptious dinner for hubby and me to enjoy when we came home.

What a treat!

And ooohhh how I am going to miss this guy when he moves out soon…

Who doesn’t love a yummy macaroni and cheese recipe on a cool Autumn or winter day?  And buffalo chicken… well – I can eat that any which way.  But – mixed with mac ‘n cheese!!  WOWZA!  Holy Swooning Wowza!

This would be such a yummy dish to give to someone (you know when you want to help out when a family member or friend has a baby, a loved one is mourning, a new neighbor moves in across the street, a friend has surgery…) or take to a potluck event, because it is one of those recipes that keeps well and gets even better the next day or two as leftovers when the flavors fully meld.

This is a keeper friends!  Hope you’ll give it a try, because it is another Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese*

Ingredients:crockpot-buffalo-chicken-mac-n-cheese

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (Nick made his by combining approximately 60% Franks Red Hot Original Cayene Pepper Sauce,  30% Cholula Hot Sauce, and 10% Sriracha Hot Chili )
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp celery salt
  • 8 oz pasta (Nick used Penne, but you could use macaroni, shells, or any shape you like)
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Add chicken, broth, buffalo sauce and seasonings to crockpot.  Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Shred fully cooked chicken with fork and return to crockpot.  Add UNCOOKED pasta.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on high for 30-40 minutes until fully cooked.

Make cheese sauce separately by melting butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Whisk in flour.  Slowly pour in milk while continuing to whisk until smooth.  Bring to a simmer for 4-5 minutes until sauce thickens enough to stick to a spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and smooth.

Add cheese sauce to crockpot, and stir to combine.  Enjoy!

OPTIONAL:  If you like, top it right before serving with a sprinkle of freshly crumbed bleu cheese to kick it up about 10 notches!!  

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*Nick found and slightly adapted this recipe from Jennifer @ Slow Cooker Gourmet

*For more yummy Winning Chicken Dinners, just type “Chicken” into the search box at the top right corner of  the blog or click here.