Budget Travel

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

SERVES 6 | PREP TIME 15 Min | COOK TIME 4 Hours 15 Min

3-4 cups of roasted turkey, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 cups frozen corn
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes
shredded Monterey jack cheese
chopped cilantro
sour cream
tortilla strips

Add all ingredients (except garnishes) to a 5-quart slow cooker and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through. Top with your favorite garnishes. Serve and enjoy!

COOK'S NOTES: You can use 1 pound of ground turkey fried in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, in place of the roasted turkey.

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One Pot Creamy Chicken Tortellini

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 5 Min | COOK TIME 20 Min

4 chicken thighs, boneless, skin-on
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, finely diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
20 ounces tortellini, refrigerated
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes
2 ounces baby spinach

In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chicken thighs (skin down). Cook chicken thighs for about 6 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Remove chicken from skillet and place on a plate covered with foil.

Add 2 tablespoon of remaining olive oil and the garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute. Then add flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour chicken stock and heavy cream into the skillet whisking until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and add Parmesan cheese.

Turn heat down to medium and add tortellini, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach to the cream sauce. Cover pot and let cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure the tortellini is coated in the sauce and doesn't stick to the bottom of the skillet.

After 5 minutes nestle the chicken thighs into the pasta and continue to cook with the lid on for 3-4 minutes until tortellini is heated through.

Serve with a little more Parmesan sprinkled on top.

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Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 4 Hours 30 Min

3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed French Onion Soup
1 can (10.5 ounces) Beef Consommé
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
8 sandwich or hoagie rolls
8 slices provolone cheese

Place the roast in crockpot. Pour the soup and consomme over the top and then add garlic and Worcestershire sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. (For the most tender beef, cook on low)

For the dipping sauce, once beef is done cooking, remove 3 cups of the juice from the crockpot and place in small saucepan. Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let cook for about 10 minutes or reduced by about half.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Transfer the beef to a plate or cutting board and cut into thin slices or shred with a fork.

Open sandwich rolls and lay out on a baking sheet, place meat on each roll and top with provolone cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and rolls are slightly toasted.

Serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.

So pile some tender beef on a toasted deli roll and let's eat!!

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30-Minute Chicken and Dumplings

SERVES 8 (1 cup size) | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups frozen peas and carrots

Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter (softened)
1 cup milk

In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven or large wide pot, over medium heat, add chicken broth, water, butter and all seasonings (poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, parsley, basil, and pepper). Cover and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, cut chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Add to the pot. Stir to combine and cover.

In a sealable container (such as a large mason jar) combine flour and milk. Seal tightly and shake vigorously to combine well. You will create a smooth flour mixture for thickening your sauce called a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the pot, stirring constantly. Add frozen vegetables and cover.

Meanwhile combine dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well with a fork. Remove cover from the soup pot and stir well. Drop dumplings into the soup one tablespoon at a time, use a 1 tablespoon scoop to make it even easier. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until soup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

SERVES 12 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

Cupcakes:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
12-16 large marshmallows

Frosting:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 (7 oz) container marshmallow creme
Chocolate sprinkles, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 count cupcake pan with liners and spray with cooking spray, set aside.

In large bowl whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Add in your eggs, both sugars, oil, vanilla and milk and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until combined.

Fill each cupcake liner half full with batter and bake for about 20 minutes or until top springs back and toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from oven and immediately remove the center of each cupcake (using the cupcake corer or a spoon or melon baller) and press the center down slightly.

Stuff with marshmallows and let sit until cooled. The marshmallows should melt slightly, if you choose to let cupcakes cool before your stuff then return to heated oven for 1-2 minutes.

Meanwhile to make your frosting in large bowl beat your butter until smooth and fluffy. Add in your extract and continue to beat until blended.Add in your powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, lastly add in your marshmallow cream and beat until incorporated.

Place frosting in piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe swirls on top of your cupcakes. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles if desired.

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Slow Cooker Taco Soup

SERVES 6 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 8 Hours

For the Soup:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups fire roasted corn, canned or frozen
1 medium white onion, diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (7 ounce) can green chilies
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
2 cups beef stock
1 package taco seasoning (2 tablespoons)

For the toppings:
Avocado
Cheese
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Tortilla chips

Brown the beef in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off the fat, and transfer to the slow cooker. Add the remaining soup ingredients, stir together, and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or 3-4 hours on high) until onions and beef are tender.

Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips.

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Slow Cooker Sausage Vegetable Soup

SERVES 4-6 | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 4 Hours 15 Min

1 pound bulk Italian sausage, mild or hot
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups beef stock
3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4”
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
4 small red potatoes, diced into 1/2” cubes

1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into small chunks. When the sausage is almost done, add the garlic. Saute about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Pour the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, stock, celery, carrots, onions, and seasoning to the insert of a slow cooker. Add in the sausage and garlic mixture; stir to combine.

Cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or low for 6 hours.

Stir in the cubed potatoes, frozen peas and frozen corn; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on HIGH for 1 additional hour, or low for 2 additional hours.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

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