EASY Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

I love soup of all kinds. I love my slow cooker (have I ever mentioned that?). This recipe won first prize at a church chili cook-off. Enough said.

INGREDIENTS
2-3 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder OR 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained & rinsed (I could only find mixed cans of pinto and northern beans, which turned out just fine)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 or 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies (I used one and it was not very spicy at all)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

(1)Add everything except sour cream and heavy cream to your slow cooker (even the frozen chicken).
(2)Cook on low 5-7 hours.
(3) Take your chicken out and shred or chop it up, then add it back to the slow cooker.
(4) Add your sour cream, heavy cream, and cornstarch (the cornstarch will make it a little thicker if you want). Stir it up.
(5) Let it cook for a few more minutes until warm. Enjoy!!

(Adapted from HERE)

French Dip Sandwiches

This recipe, found HERE, wins on all counts. It is painfully easy. The hubby (and the rest of us) loved it. AND it cooks itself in my favorite appliance ever--the slow cooker. Ka-chow! That's a Lightning McQueen reference for those of you who don't have little boys :) Here's what you need:

INGREDIENTS

-buns, like hoagie sandwich buns
- a 2 to 4 lb beef roast (I got "eye of round roast" because it was on sale...just get something that says "roast")
-one packet McCormick Au Jus Gravy mix (usually on the soup aisle with the other gravy packets)
-swiss cheese slices
-OPTIONAL: sliced onion, green bell pepper, & red bell pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

(1)Put meat in slow cooker.
(2)Dissolve gravy packet in 3 cups cold water. Pour into slow cooker.
(3)Turn slow cooker on low*. Let it cook 6-8 hours. (If you want the peppers and onions, throw them in for the last hour.)
(4)Shred up meat. It should be very tender. Mine pretty much fell apart.
(5)Put it in your buns. Add a slice of cheese.
(6) Stick in the oven and broil for a minute or two to melt the cheese.
(7) Now for the "dip" part. Get a bowl and pour some of the leftover liquid from the slow cooker in it. Use it to dip your sandwich in and enjoy. Soooo good.

*My slow cooker is a new one, and is apparently nuclear. I NEVER EVER use the high setting. Even frozen meat is completely done in less than 5 hours in my slow cooker. So, if you find your slow cooker meals continually burning or being dry when you use the high setting, try it on low. Hopefully that will work and you can sit back and enjoy some effortless meals!

Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

I know everyone is crazy about the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but have you had the Pumpkin Scone?? AMAZING. It would be a crime for me not to share this with you. I have had this recipe for several years. I don't remember where it came from, but it is spot on--just like the real thing. The con is that it is a little labor intensive (not difficult, just lots of steps), but it is so worth it. Here goes...for the scone you will need:

PUMPKIN SCONE INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

SCONE INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
(2) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a bowl.
(3) In a separate bowl whisk pumpkin, half-and-half, and egg.
(4) Cut COLD butter in small cubes and add to dry ingredients. Use a fork or food processor to combine until mixture is sort of like cornmeal in texture.
(5) Fold wet ingredients into mixture and form dough into a ball.
(6) Pat out dough onto a floured surface and form into a 9"Long x 3"Wide x 1"High rectangle. No need to be super precise.
(7) Slice dough width-wise into three equal portions.
(8) Take each piece and cut it diagonally. You should end up with six triangular slices or dough.
(9) Bake 14-16 minutes on a lightly greased baking sheet. Allow to cool. Glaze and ice (see below).


GLAZE INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk

(1) Combine with electric mixer until smooth.
(2) Brush over cooled scones.


ICING INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves

(1) Combine with electric mixer.
(2) Drizzle over glazed scones.
(3) Allow to dry for one hour...This is seriously part of the instructions; however, I have never actually let them dry for an hour :)