Slow Cooker Jambalaya

I really want to go to New Orleans one day. Not to see how many beads I can get, but for the food. I hear there is nothing like it. I love Cajun/Creole cooking! I love a good pot of jambalaya and have made it several times. I want to find out if it tastes anything like it does in New Orleans.

I found this slow cooker recipe for jambalaya and I had to try it out. I love all things slow cooker! It rocks my world.

Here is what you'll need:
-1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
-1 pound smoked turkey sausage, sliced
-1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
-3 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
-1 cup chicken broth
-2 teaspoons dried oregano
-2 teaspoons dried parsley
-2 tsp minced garlic
-2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I used Tom's Creole seasoning and it is basically the same)
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
-white rice or instant rice (I used 2 packs of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - Garlic & Butter flavor)

Preparation:
In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, garlic, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Mix in cooked rice cook for about 15 minutes to warm through.

Doesn't that look delicious?
I think next time I will do shrimp instead of chicken. I am not a big fan of chicken in the crock pot. It isn't moist enough for me, so I think adding in some cooked shrimp before serving would be delicious.

I served it with homemade garlic toast (recipe coming soon).

Try it out when you need an easy, slow cooker recipe. Your family will love it!

Original recipe: Plain Chicken

Crock Pot Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese

Who doesn't love tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich? Actually, if you were to ask my 7 year old self you would find out that I don't...but, I have learned to love tomatoes and so a soup full of them sounds delightful to my 25 year old self.

I found a recipe for a crock pot tomato soup and I knew it was a winner in my book.

Here is what you'll need for the soup:
-2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
-1 cup finely diced celery
-1 cup finely diced carrots
-1 cup finely diced onions
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1 T dried basil
-4 cups chicken broth
-½ bay leaf
-½ cup flour
-1 cup Parmesan cheese
-1/2 cup butter
-2 cups half and half, warmed
-1 tsp salt
-¼ tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end).
Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Here is what you'll need for the grilled cheese:
-sourdough bread
-provolone
-olive oil (I used the olive oil because I used all of the butter I had in the soup, but I liked the olive oil mixture just as well.)
-basil

Preparation:
Mix the basil in a small bowl with the olive oil. Brush the bread with the olive oil mixture and put 2 slices (the provolone I bought was small) on the bread and "grill" in a pan on medium heat until golden on one side. Flip the bread and brown the other side.


This soup was so good and the husband was making noises the whole time he ate it, so that's always a good sign...at least I think so :)

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Original recipe: Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately. Life has been busy, hectic, stressful, and grand all at the same time so the blog took a back burner....Hoping to get some new posts out to you soon!

Anywho, this is one easy and delicious recipe!

My husband actually had this this last weekend in Memphis at our friend's parent's house while I was shooting a wedding. He raved and raved about it! So I got the recipe and made it last night.
It was so simple and good! We had leftovers tonight and there is even enough left for tomorrow night :)

Here is what you will need:
-1 package dry italian dressing mix
-1 package au jus mix
-1 large beef roast (2-3 lbs)
-1 jar 16 oz. banana peppers undrained
-1 package hoagies
-1 preferred sliced cheese

Put the roast in the crockpot and cover about halfway with water. Add the seasonings and banana peppers with the juice. Cook on low 5-6 hours. Remove the roast and let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing. It is harder to cut immediately after you remove.
Serve on hoagies with provolone cheese (or whatever cheese you fancy) and a side of the gravy for dipping.
I put the hoagies in the broiler for a few minutes to get golden brown and warm.
This was soo soo good! For the leftovers I assembled the sandwiches and then put the whole thing open faced in the oven on broil. They were just as good as the first day.
Make these and you will be sure to enjoy!

(Like the paper plate with the pretty Anthropologie ramekin?? Ha!)

If are healthier than us, serve it with a green salad or green veggie...Or if you choose to be bad like us (or maybe it's good) then serve it with some delicious and I repeat delicious Lay's Limon chips!!

We did add some pineapple for good measure :)