white chicken chili

Nothing better than throwing dinner in the Crockpot and having it be done by the time you get home from work. Makes 4 large servings.

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 24 ounces low sodium chicken broth

• 1 15-ounce can Northern beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 4-ounce cans diced green chiles, whatever heat you like

• 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

• 1/2 tsp each black pepper, chili powder, cilantro

• 1 tsp each cumin, oregano

• salt to taste

• 2 tsp cornstarch

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1/4 cup milk (or half and half; nondairy unsweetened works well too)

Add chicken and all spices to Crockpot. Top with onion, garlic, beans, chiles, corn, and chicken broth. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, and return to Crockpot. Whisk the cornstarch into the milk and add milk and cream cheese to Crockpot. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Leave on warm until you are ready to serve.

breakfast smoothie

For when you need to fool yourself into eating a vegetable. Makes 2 smaller smoothies or 1 very large one.

• 1 banana

• 1 cup frozen fruit (I like mixed berries but anything will work here)

• 1 handful baby spinach

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

• Orange juice and/or water

Combine all ingredients in a blender/food processor/whatever you have. Add 1/4 cup of liquid to start. Blend, and add more liquid to your preference. Serve immediately or freeze overnight.

lazy day pasta bake

I totally made this recipe up and it didn’t suck, so here we go. Perfect for a snow day/sick day/comfort food day and very customizable. Makes 6-8 servings.

• 1 pound pasta of your choice (elbows, ziti, penne, etc. would work)

• 1 jar vodka sauce (or regular pasta sauce)

• 1 pound cooked/skinned sausage of your choice, cut into slices

• 2 handfuls baby spinach

• 1 cup ricotta cheese

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package. Drain. Preheat the oven to 400º.

In the original pasta pot, lightly brown the sausage pieces in olive oil. Stir in the spinach. Once wilted, add the sauce.

When the sauce is heated through, add the pasta and stir to combine.

In a large glass baking dish, add half the pasta. Spoon the ricotta cheese evenly over the pasta, and then add the rest of the pasta on top. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven or until the cheese has just melted.

turkey sausage bowls

Perfect for meal prep or work lunches. Smells strong in the office microwave so beware. Serves 4.

• 2 tbs olive oil

• 1 pound precooked, skinned sausage of your preference cut into slices (I like turkey)

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 of the following options:

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas/carrots/corn

  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets

• 1 cup uncooked rice/quinoa

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• shredded Mexican cheese to serve

In a medium pot, cook the rice or quinoa to package directions.

Heat a large skillet over medium and add the olive oil. Add the sausage, onion, and garlic and cook until the onions are soft and the sausage begins to brown.

If using frozen, steam the veggies in the microwave. Add the veggies and the beans to the pan, cover, and cook about 5 minutes.

Add the spices and cooked rice/quinoa. Cover and cook until everything is heated through.

Add shredded cheese to serve.

crockpot apple crisp

Good for when you’re in an apple kinda mood but not a pie-making mood, and still want your house to smell good. Makes 4 small servings.

For the apples:

• 6 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thick slices. Most kinds of apples will work here; try to avoid very soft varieties

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 tbs white sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the crumble topping:

• 1 cup oats

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 cup (one stick) butter or similar, cut into small cubes

In the Crockpot, combine the first half of the ingredients. In a bowl, combine the crumble ingredients. Stir the apples one more time and then sprinkle on the topping. Cook on high for two hours or on low for three hours, until the apples can easily be poked with a fork. Let it sit off the heat for at least 30 minutes before serving.

I don’t make the rules, but I would serve this with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.