When I made the original recipe in January, I followed the author’s version pretty closely (the only substitutions I made were using ground turkey instead of beef and rice pasta instead of regular).

This version tastes much better. The major changes I made were adding more veggies (spinach and mushrooms) and decreasing the amount of pasta (I thought there was way too much in the first version; I didn’t want the pasta to overwhelm everything else).

When I make this in the future, I’ll try a combination of ground turkey and ground sausage — I bet that would be pretty delicious. I would have done so this time except I didn’t have any sausage available.

CrockPot Turkey Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

(Adapted from Add a Pinch)

• 1.5-2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 8-oz package button mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 10-oz package frozen spinach, unthawed and thoroughly drained
• 1 24-oz jar marinara sauce (I used an organic brand with very little sugar)
• 2 cups pasta (I used brown rice penne)
• 1 15-oz container ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated (you could also use Parmesan)

Brown ground turkey in a medium skillet. Drain and set aside. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic, and oregano to the skillet. Cook until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add ground turkey and marinara sauce to the cooked veggie mixture. Fill the marinara jar about halfway with water (make sure to shake it around to get all the remaining sauce) and add it to the ground beef mixture.

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon 1/2 of the turkey and marinara mixture into the bottom of the crock. Pour in all of the noodles and stir.

Spread the container of ricotta on top and sprinkle with 1/2 of the mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses (1/2 cup of each).

Spoon remainder of turkey and marinara over the cheeses and cook for 5 hours on low.

Before eating, remove lid from slow cooker and add remaining cheeses. Return lid and allow cheese to melt for about 5 minutes.

Since I haven’t posted a recipe in a long time and I really enjoyed our meal a few nights ago, I wanted to share this one.

As you can see, it includes dill pickles! They seem to be a trend lately. Believe me — this dish is good.

Spicy Creamed Steak

Adapted From Add a Pinch
Serves: 8

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 oz package button mushrooms, chopped
• 2 pounds top round sirloin steak, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used pre-cut steak strips)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 cup half & half
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 cups chopped dill pickles (about 4 large)

Melt butter in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat (I used a Dutch oven; it’s much easier to stir everything if you’re using a pan with tall sides). Brown onion and mushrooms until tender.

Add steak strips and sprinkle with salt. Cook until steak is cooked throughout, about 10 minutes.

Add all spices and stir.

Add half & half, cheese, and pickles. Reduce heat to simmer and cover.

Simmer 10-15 minutes, until reduced.

Serve over rice.

I’ve made this dish four times from a recipe that Paul’s mom, Diane, gave me earlier this year (plus she make it for us when we visited Buffalo in September). I’ve slightly adapted her recipe, but not by much.

Make this. It’s deceptively good.

Diane’s Roast with Pickles

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (Diane uses peanut oil)
• 3 lbs. bottom or top round roast
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper (Diane uses peppercorns instead of ground pepper — I’ve tried that in the past but I didn’t like biting into them in the finished dish)
• 2-3 large bay leaves
• 2-3 cups beef stock
• 5-7 dill pickles, chopped (depends on your preference — we like lots of pickles)
• 1 cup sour cream
• Serve over: cooked noodles, rice, or braised cabbage

Heat coconut oil in a Dutch oven* (see my note below if you don’t have a Dutch oven) over med-high heat.

Cut the roast into bite-size pieces (you can wait to cut up the meat before serving if you prefer, but the meat will take longer to cook — at the very least, cut the meat into large chunks; don’t leave it whole). Brown the roast pieces in the hot oil.

Add remaining ingredients except for the sour cream.

(Note: The above measurements aren’t precise because there are various factors — you may not have exactly 3 lbs of meat, you may prefer more or less sauce. We like to have a lot of sauce, so I tend to add more broth and sour cream.)

Place lid on the Dutch oven and simmer for at least 1 hour (if you don’t use a Dutch oven, it may take longer — 1.5 to 2 hours), or until the meat is fully cooked and very tender. Add the sour cream, and simmer for at least 15 minutes longer.

Remove the bay leaves. Serve over noodles, rice, or braised cabbage.

* If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can brown the meat in a regular skillet and then transfer the meat to a covered casserole dish before adding the remaining ingredients. I didn’t realize you could use a casserole dish on a stovetop, but that’s the way Diane does it!

This is a quick and easy creole that tastes great. I’ve made it once before, but I added okra this time — I thought it needed more veggies, but you could go either way.

CrockPot Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Creole

Serves 6
(Adapted from Moms with CrockPots)

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• Okra (I used half of a 1-lb bag from the freezer; more or less would be fine)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (I substituted a dash each of garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lb shrimp peeled, deveined and cleaned
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Hot sauce to taste
• Brown rice, for serving

Place chicken in CrockPot (mine was partially frozen because it hadn’t defrosted completely in the fridge the night before). Add bell pepper, onion, celery, okra, garlic, tomatoes, the spices, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low 7-9 hours (I cook mine on low).

Add shrimp, lemon juice and hot sauce. Cover and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until shrimp are warmed through (I used small shrimp, so it didn’t take long for them to warm). Serve over hot rice.

When I made this dish for the first time earlier this year (before I created this blog), Paul said it tasted like something he would “pay $17 for in a restaurant.” I made a note of that compliment in my recipe file because I enjoyed hearing it so much!

This is delicious and easy to put together. Highly recommended.

Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta

(Adapted from Emily Bites)

• 10-16 oz uncooked penne rice pasta (the amount is your choice, depending how big your serving sizes will be – I used a 16-oz bag so I would have leftover pasta for later)
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (could also use hot/spicy flavor, if desired)
• 8 oz fresh button mushrooms, roughly chopped into small bite-size pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth (I used homemade)
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1/2-1 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated (for serving)
• Dried or fresh parsley (for garnish)

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.

Cook the sausage over medium heat until the sausage is fully browned. Remove sausage from pan and drain excess fat. Cook the onions and mushrooms until soft/translucent; add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Return sausage to pan.

Stir in the broth, pumpkin, wine, sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.

At this point, you can add the pasta directly to the sauce if you wish, but I prefer to add the sauce to my portion of pasta individually — that way I can have as little (or as much) sauce as I want.

Garnish each portion with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

The first time I made this dish, I dubbed it “one of my favorite CrockPot recipes so far, and one I will definitely make again soon.” It’s still a favorite and I did make it again just over a month later, so I was correct! In fact, I enjoyed it more the second time around because I did like the original recipe suggested and added a cup of plain yogurt after it finished cooking. Definitely don’t leave out the yogurt!

This isn’t the prettiest photo, but believe me — it’s tasty.

CrockPot Indian Butter Chicken

(Adapted from CrockPot365)

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs (I’ve used meat that was partially-to-completely frozen for this dish; it always cooks in the 8 hours allotted)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 T butter
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 2 tsp curry
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 can coconut milk (regular, not low-fat)
• 1 cup plain yogurt to add at the end (not Greek yogurt!)
• Salt to taste
• Brown rice, for serving

Use a 5 quart or larger CrockPot. Spray the bottom of the crock with cooking spray to minimize clean-up later.

Put the chicken in first; add onion, garlic, and all of the dry spices. Plop in the butter and tomato paste. Add lemon juice and coconut milk. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4.

After cooking is complete, remove the chicken and shred with a knife and fork. Return chicken to the CrockPot.

Stir in plain yogurt 15 minutes before serving. Salt to taste, serve with rice.

Since we were out of town most of Memorial weekend (Friday night through Sunday night), Paul and I spent a good part of our Monday holiday doing stuff around the house. Grocery shopping, bathroom and kitchen scrubbing, washing clothes, cleaning floors, etc. It wasn’t exciting, but we were certainly productive.

For dinner that night, I decided to make a new recipe I’d had my eye on — I found it a few weeks ago when I was searching for something to do with the pork chops in my freezer. Verdict? BIG success. Paul requested that I add it to our rotation of favorite/go-to recipes after eating just a few bites, and I agreed. The tangy pork is a perfect accompaniment to the creamy polenta.

Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops and Creamy Polenta

(Adapted from MyRecipes)

2 cups whole milk (I used fat-free)
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked polenta (I used organic yellow cornmeal)
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) boneless pork chops, trimmed

For the polenta: Bring milk and broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. (I was out of broth so I used 2.5 cups of milk and 1/2 cup water.) Add the polenta slowly, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is lump-free. Cook for 20 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring frequently with a whisk; remove from heat. Stir in cream cheese. Keep warm.

For the balsamic glaze: Place vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half (4-5 minutes). I cooked mine a bit too long so it got a little thick — I just added another tablespoon of vinegar, heated it for an additional 30 seconds, and it was fine.

For the pork: Place a frying pan over medium-high heat (I used a non-stick pan, but you could also use a grill pan if you have one). Combine rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic; rub mixture over pork. Place pork in pan; cook for 5 minutes on each side or until done, basting with vinegar. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the polenta.

This is delicious! Hearty and full of protein, but also super flavorful. You’re not supposed to add the cauliflower until halfway through the cooking time, so I planned it for a Sunday afternoon when I knew I’d be home.

This recipe makes a very large amount, but I’m okay with that — I’ll have plenty of leftovers for dinner tomorrow night and I’ll also take some to work for lunch.

CrockPot Curried Chicken with Cauliflower and Lentils

Serves 6-8

(Adapted from Food Network)

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I used breasts)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bag lentils (1 pound, or 2 1/4 cups), picked over (I used green lentils, but you could also use red)
2 tablespoons oil (I used coconut oil, but the original recipe suggested canola)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1/3 to 1/2 cup prepared curry paste (I used Patak’s mild, close to 1/2 cup)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used homemade)
2 cups whole milk plain yogurt (regular yogurt, not Greek yogurt)
1 head cauliflower, broken into large florets
2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch fresh cilantro or mint leaves, chopped
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Quinoa or brown rice (optional)

Spray the CrockPot insert with cooking spray (it cleans-up a lot easier later if you do this). I defrosted my fully-frozen chicken breasts in the microwave until they were mostly thawed, but they were still partially frozen when I put them in. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then pour the lentils on top.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat the oil; add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the curry paste and cook about 2 minutes more. Whisk the broth into the pan, then whisk in the yogurt until fully incorporated. (I found it was easier to pour the broth mixture into a large bowl and then add the yogurt, but you can keep everything in the skillet if you don’t want to wash multiple dishes.) Pour the liquid into the CrockPot over the chicken and lentils.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Halfway through cooking time, add the cauliflower and chickpeas.

(Note: After the cooking time ended, I lifted out the top layer of cauliflower and fished out the chunks of chicken from the bottom of the pot, shredding them with a knife and fork. Return everything to the CrockPot and stir well.)

Top the curry with freshly torn mint or cilantro (I used cilantro from my balcony herb garden). Serve with a wedge of lemon. I ate mine with quinoa.

I made this dish for dinner earlier this week. It was my second time making it; I really enjoyed it the first time around so I wanted to try it again. I found some shrimp on sale a few weeks back so I was able store a few packages in the freezer for future use. It was easy to pull out what I needed and put this together quickly.

The original recipe only called for 1.5 cups of spinach, but I used at least double that. Spinach shrivels down to almost nothing when it’s heated, so you could easily add several large handfuls of fresh spinach and it wouldn’t be overwhelming.

Also, you will note in the picture below that I served my shrimp salad over quinoa. There was only enough leftover rice pasta for one person, so I gladly handed it off to Paul. It tastes just as good over quinoa, so feel free to substitute that (or even rice) for the pasta.

Warm Shrimp Pasta Salad with Dijon-Lemon Sauce

4 servings

Gluten-free or regular pasta of your choice (I used brown rice elbow pasta)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (1-2 cloves) minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12-16 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons capers

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain in cold water and set aside.

Combine juice, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray or use oil. Add shrimp to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until done.

Stir in spinach, cannellini beans, red onion, and capers; toss to combine. Heat until spinach has wilted and all ingredients are heated through. Add the juice mixture to the pan. Serve over the pasta.

(Adapted from here)