Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken!

This is absolutely one of the easiest yet most delicious recipes you will ever try!   My son has decided it's in his top 10 favorites!   Either he was just really hungry for some home cooking on the night I served it or it's amazing!   This is very tasty and a real family pleaser!

 Here is all you need:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

black pepper

seasoned salt

1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix

2  (10.25 oz,) cans cream of chicken soup

1  (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 cup water

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

6-7 slices of bacon cooked crisp

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a large slow cooker you have sprayed with nonstick spray. You can even use frozen chicken if that is what you have or use fresh chicken.  Sprinkle with a little black pepper and seasoned salt to taste. 

Go light on the seasoned salt because of the sodium in the soup.   Sprinkle with the dry Italian dressing mix.   You can used something like Good Seasons or I just used a Kroger brand and it was really good.

In a separate bowl, mix the soups and cream cheese and pour over the chicken.  Sprinkle the top with half of the Parmesan cheese.  Pour the one cup water around the edges of the slow cooker.  

Place the top on and set to cook for 8 - 10 hours on low or 4 -6 on high.   All slow cookers cook at different temps so go by your experience with yours.  If it's older, it might take the longer cooking time.   The newer ones will be fine with the lower cooking time.  

When it's done, break the chicken into large pieces and stir the gravy to blend well.  If you want it with a little more gravy, add a cup of milk and heat through.   Right before serving sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan cheese, the shredded mozzarella cheese and bacon.  

Serve over pasta, rice or with mashed potatoes!    This is also good served over a baked potato.


 I served by placing penne pasta on a large pasta plate and then spooning the chicken and sauce over it and finished it with the shredded mozarrella cheese and bacon!  

 It was wonderful!  Add a salad and garlic bread and dinner is complete!  Hope you enjoy this!!! 



Cajun Pork Loin with Vegetables!

This "Cajun Pork Loin with Vegetables" is a wonderful meal that is just perfect for cooler weather.  It is hearty and the leftovers are even better the next day! The pork turns out so tender and tasty!  I cooked this in my cast iron Dutch oven, because it conducts heat so well and just makes any cut of meat fork tender. 

 I will also give slow cooker directions for this at the end, because it will work in your slow cooker also.   

Here is what you will need:

4-5 pound boneless pork loin

1 Tbs. Cajun seasoning (I used Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning)

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 cups beef broth

4 cups water

4-5 potatoes, peeled and quartered or halved if they are small

1 bag of baby carrots

2 medium sweet onions, peeled and quartered

1 red or green bell pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces

2 stalks celery, cut in one inch pieces

additional seasoned salt and pepper for the veggies to taste

Pat the roast dry with a paper towel.  In a bowl, mix the Cajun seasoning with the next 4 spices to make a rub.  Sprinkle this mixture on both sides of the pork loin.  Really pat it on there.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven that is ovenproof.    Brown the pork loin on both sides.  I like to get it really brown over pretty high heat.   Add the beef broth and the water, cover and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and add the veggies around and on top of the pork loin.  Sprinkle the vegetables with seasoned salt and pepper to taste.  If you need to add more water, do so now.  The vegetables shouldn't be covered in water, but the water should be up to the bottom of them. Some cookware loses liquid more than others in the oven.   Cover and place back in the oven for 1 more hour.

I don't like to cook the vegetables in with the meat for the whole 2 hours, because I think it overcooks them and breaks them down in the oven, especially in this cast iron Dutch oven.

To plate this, remove the pork loin to a cutting board and allow it to rest about 5 minutes.  After it rests, slice it in thin slices and lay them on a large platter.  Place the vegetables all around the meat, then drizzle some of the juices over all.  If you want thicken the remaining juices with a little cornstarch for a thicker gravy, you can.  We just spoon it, as is, over the meat and vegetables.  It is so moist and so full of great flavor. 

***For the slow cooker,  season and brown the pork loin in a skillet the same way, then place in the slow cooker, with the vegetables on each side of the meat.  You will need a large slow cooker.  Use the beef broth and 2 cups of water.  Set on low for 8-10 hours.