Tuscan Cream Chicken & Potatoes: The Easiest One-Pot Dinner You’ll Ever Make

 

This past week, my deck garden took center stage. Hauling bags of soil and planting everything left me utterly exhausted, so cooking was the last thing on my mind. I needed something quick, effortless, and completely crockpot-friendly. I dug out an old favorite from the 1970s called Angel Chicken and decided to make it one morning before heading outside. Problem: the chicken breasts were still rock-hard in the freezer. “What the heck,” I thought, and tossed them straight into the slow cooker. I mixed up the Italian dressing packet, butter, chive-and-onion cream cheese, and cream of mushroom soup, poured it over the frozen chicken, and walked away.

Hours later, the house was filled with the most incredible savory aroma. By dinnertime I was too tired to even cook rice or noodles, so I raided the freezer and fridge instead. In went a bag of my pre-blanched Cipolline onions, a handful of quartered button mushrooms, and six halved Ruby Gold potatoes. Everything went right on top of the simmering chicken for a true one-pot meal.

That first bite, curled up on the couch with Stanley by my side and baseball on TV, was pure bliss. The chicken was incredibly tender and perfectly seasoned, the potatoes melted like butter, and the onions and mushrooms were beautifully caramelized. I immediately renamed it Tuscan Cream Chicken & Potatoes.

This is the ultimate stress-free dinner for the busy days ahead. It’s comforting enough for everyday or family movie nights, yet special enough to serve when friends come over for an evening of baseball.

Set it and forget it—you’ll love every bite. 

Tuscan Cream Chicken & Potatoes

1½ lbs. boneless chicken breasts (about 3)

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

½ stick (4 T.) unsalted butter

1 (8-oz) carton cream cheese with chives and onions

1 10.5-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

6 peeled Melissa’s Cipolline onions (or 1 medium yellow onion, quartered)

6 large button mushrooms, quartered

6 Melissa's Ruby Gold Potatoes, scrubbed and halved

 Place chicken in the slow cooker. Combine the Italian dressing mix, butter, cream cheese, and mushroom soup; pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 7 hours. Add the onions, mushrooms, and potatoes. Continue cooking on low for an additional 45–60 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Serve directly from the pot and enjoy this effortless, flavor-packed meal!

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Beef Daube

 

“Marianne, One of a Kind,” [France] is a TV show featuring French actress, Marilou Berry as outspoken and unorthodox investigating judge, Marianne Vauban, who loves a quirky crime, and her food. It was through the viewing of this series that I became acquainted with Beef Daube, more or less a Provençal French stew, a dish she enjoyed most gustily in Season 1, Episode 2 “Truckers.”

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 As she savored every bite she had this to say, “Oh, my! The sauce!” and “The baby carrots are amazing!” She was not wrong. I honestly don’t think I have ever tasted better carrots. The beef itself was superb!

As you can see the list of ingredients is lengthy, and I’m not going to lie, it took me a bit of time to do this. But, it is well worth it because it is absolute heaven. Marianne was right.

Beef Daube

Adapted from thekitchn.com

 3 lbs. boneless chuck roast

2 T. olive oil

1½ t. kosher salt

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 1-lb. bag baby carrots

4 lg. cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. Dijon mustard

2 T. flour

6 Melissa’s French Echalion Shallots, peeled and halved

3 whole cloves

1 orange

1 (750-milliliter) bottle Burgundy

1 small bunch Melissa’s fresh thyme

1 small bunch Melissa’s fresh rosemary

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving, optional

Cooked wide egg noodles or fresh pasta, for serving, optional

Preheat oven to 325° F. Arrange the racks such as to be able to accommodate your Dutch oven with the lid on.

 Cut beef into 2-inch cubes.

 Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Dry the meat with paper towels and season with the kosher salt and pepper. Sear the meat, undisturbed, in batches for 6-9 minutes until the underside develops a dark brown crust. Transfer the meat to a clean bowl as it is seared. When all the meat has been seared, deglaze the pan with a half cup of water.

 Reduce the heat to medium and add the carrots and garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until the carrots are glossy and the garlic is lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, Dijon mustard, and flour; stir to combine.

 Stick 3 whole cloves into the flesh of a shallot half. (This will make the cloves easy to remove before serving.) Add to Dutch oven, then using a vegetable peeler, peel 2 large strips of zest from 1 orange into the Dutch oven.

Add all the meat and any accumulated juices then add the entire bottle of burgundy. Tie 1 small bunch fresh rosemary and 1 small bunch fresh thyme together with a small piece of kitchen twine then add to the Dutch oven; stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat will easily pull apart with a fork, 3 hours. Check at 2 1/2 hours. If the meat has started to go dry, add more wine to cover. Put lid back on Dutch oven, put it back into the oven and bake another half an hour.

Remove the bundles of herbs, strips of orange, and whole cloves before serving. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper if needed.

 If desired, finely chop leaves and tender stems from 1/2 bunch fresh parsley. Serve with cooked egg noodles and a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

 

When I get in the mood for curry, and I do, nothing is going to satisfy me until I have made a big pot. This is the easiest way to make curry that I can think of, because it is all done in the slow cooker. Other than dicing the chicken, it’s all just dump and stir. If you’d like, you can dice onion, and add it to this, and/or grate (or mince) some fresh ginger into the mixture. Add what you like to make it your own. It’s very good, and very satisfying. Serve it over rice and top with chopped scallions, minced cilantro, or a sprinkling of dry red pepper flakes. Do what you like; you honestly can’t go wrong.

 Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

 2 lbs. chicken thighs, diced

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 2.1-oz. pkg. dry chicken noodle soup mix

1 T. instant minced onions

3 T. curry powder

Pinch cayenne

1 10.5-oz.  can cream of chicken soup

6 oz. coconut milk

1 c. whole milk

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 t. cornstarch

1 pkg. frozen peas and carrot mixture

Spray the bottom of a slow cooker with PAM. Place diced chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Crumble the bouillon cube over the top, and sprinkle the dry package of chicken noodle soup overall.

 In a small mixing bowl whisk together minced onions, curry powder, cayenne, chicken soup, coconut milk, whole milk, heavy cream, and cornstarch. Pour over chicken, and give everything a good stir.

 Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until done. One hour before cook time is up, stir in frozen vegetables. Serve over rice.

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Christmas Pasta

You are going to love this pasta dish! It is perfect for the holidays because it is so colorful, plus it’s made in one pot, and is ready in 30 minutes. It’s meatless, so can be served to your vegetarian friends, and works as either a starter course or a main dish. Honestly, I felt festive just eating it. It’s not often that you can have a dish that is so easy to prepare, doesn’t require a lot of cooking equipment, is tasty, and colorful.Christmas Pasta

 1 T. olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced mushrooms
1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic
8 oz. linguine
2 T. butter
2 c. homemade chicken stock
1 c. whole milk
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ c. chopped Melissa’s roasted red bell peppers

½ 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Toss in mushrooms, stirring until softened, then add garlic, and stir for one minute more. Add pasta, butter, chicken stock, milk, pepper, red peppers, and spinach. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, put the lid on the pan, and set the timer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes are up, remove the lid, sprinkle Parmesan on top of the pasta and toss until the cheese is melted. Serve.

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Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

 

 I’m suffering from the post-Thanksgiving blues. Not that I did anything, mind you, but I did leave the house and that’s saying something. I was also in a crowd of 14 people and by Sunday night I realized that I was coming down with something. It may be something, it may be nothing, but I’m taking no chances. Today, during one of my good moments, I put together a big ole crock of comfort food. I have only once before made red beans and rice (you can find that recipe here), and I absolutely loved it! Today I did not want to spend time standing by the stove, so I put everything into the crockpot. It was phenomenal! The house was scented with the most magnificent fragrance, and I could not wait to dig in. From past experience, I know that this freezes very well, so it can take place in the freezer alongside various stocks, sauces, soups, and stews, to get me through the winter. Wonderful!

Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

 2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained

1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, undrained

½ lb. smoked sausage thinly sliced (andouille or smoked)

2 celery ribs, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium Melissa’s organic yellow onion, chopped

1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic

2 c. chicken stock

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ t. Cajun seasoning
1 t. Crystal hot sauce

1 bay leaf

4 cups uncooked long grain rice

Green onions chopped, for garnish

Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Add red kidney beans, smoked sausage, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and bay leaf to a 6-quart slow cooker. Set on high setting and cook for 4-6 hours, depending upon how juicy you like your beans.

 Cook rice according to package directions. Remove bay leaf and serve red beans over top of the cooked rice. Top with fresh green onions and parsley.

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Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel

 

 I don’t have a lot of experience with fennel, but the little I do have tells me that it tends to enhance anything it’s in. One example is Ina Garten’s Potato Gratin with Gouda and Fennel. Another example, also by Ina, is right here. This Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel is restaurant quality, for relatively little effort. Do your prep work ahead, buy your sausage in bulk, and this will be on the table in no time. You may never want to go out for Italian food again.

Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel

From Cooking for Jeffrey by Ina Garten

 3 T. good olive oil

3 c. chopped fennel (1 large bulb)

1½ c. chopped yellow onion

1¼ lb. sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

2 t. minced garlic (2 cloves)

½ t. whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle

½ t. crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 c. dry white wine

1 c. heavy cream

2/3 c. half-and-half

2 T. tomato paste

1 lb. pound rigatoni

½ c. chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 c. freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided

 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

 Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

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Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Cassoulet

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 As I mentioned last week, I intend to give my slow cooker to use every week. While this dish would no doubt be considered wintry, it is too wonderful to just enjoy during the cold months. There is a good bit of shopping ahead of time, but I tend to do my shopping the night before so that all I have to do is mix and dump. The aroma in the house while it was cooking was superb, and it made for a wonderful meal. I made rice, but you honestly wouldn’t have to. Serve it with a crusty roll, and your cooking is done in the morning so that you can relax and get on with things the rest of the day.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Cassoulet

Adapted from Food.com

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, undrained

½ c. Bloody Mary mix

2 medium carrots, sliced into ½”-thick slices

2 celery ribs, cut into ½”-thick slices

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

2 - 3 frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs

8 oz. smoked beef sausage

Salt and pepper to taste

 Combine the beans, Bloody Mary mix, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and dried herbs.

 Cut the sausages in half lengthwise and slice, stir into beans.

 Place the frozen chicken thighs on top of the bean mixture.

Cover; cook on low-heat for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove bay leaves, stir, adjust seasonings as desired and serve.

Slow Cooked Sausage Supper

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Is it hot where you are? It has been really hot here, with high humidity. In fact, during the month of May the weather has been all over the place. I don’t know that I am ready for 90° temperatures just yet, but like it or not, they were here last weekend.

The heat of summer is when I make good use of my slow cooker. I’m busy working in my container garden, and don’t want to have to bother with dinner. I love that I can put something together early in the day, and by late afternoon/early evening, when I’m too tired to move, I have a wonderful dinner waiting for me.

This is easy, comforting, and satisfying. The flavor is sweet, spicy, and tangy. You can swap out the vegetables by adding those that are seasonal and/or preferred by your family; fresh green beans, baby corn, and corn on the cob, sliced into 2-inch rounds work particularly well here. Just be sure to adjust your time accordingly, i.e. baby corn will only need to be heated through whereas fresh green beans will need at least a half an hour.

Slow Cooked Sausage Supper

 1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, sliced

2 lbs. smoked sausage*

1 c. brown sugar
3 T. yellow mustard

3 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. stone ground mustard

1 T. creamy horseradish

1 1.5-oz. bag Melissa’s baby red potatoes, halved

2 c. baby carrots

½ cabbage, cut into quarters

Spray interior of slow cooker with PAM. Scatter sliced shallots on the bottom of the slow cooker. Slice sausage into 2-inch chunks and scatter on top of the shallots. Combine the sugar, mustards, and horseradish, and pour over the sausage and potatoes. Stir to coat. Cover and cook on high heat 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

 Serves 4 to 6.

*I used Eckrich beef smoked sausage

 

Cheesy Beef and Noodles

 When it comes to food, undoubtedly comfort means something different to everybody. For me, comfort means ground beef, cheese, and pasta; it can be in red sauce, cheesy white sauce, beefy gravy, you name it. Any combination of the above works. I seem to be (aren't we all?) perpetually in need of comfort, so I made this combination for dinner tonight. It wasn’t a recipe; just a variety of things that I had on hand and thought would blend well in a one-pot meal. I was right. Be liberal in following these directions if you are in the mood for a warming bowl of comfort. Use what you have on hand. Deepen the flavors with portobello mushroom powder if you have it, and you will be in for one comforting and delicious, family friendly meal.

A Bowl of Comfort:
Cheesy Beef and Noodles

1 lb. ground chuck
2 large Melissa’s shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ c. strong, brewed coffee
1 ½ c. water

2 c. beef broth
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
½ t. Montreal Steak Seasoning
½ t. chili powder
½ t. smoked paprika
¼ c. tomato paste

1 t. sugar
2 c. campanelle pasta

Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh mozzarella cut into cubes
1 c. shredded cheddar
 
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Brown ground chuck, shallots, and garlic in a skillet until the meat is no longer pink. Drain fat and return to pan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle liberally with cheeses, slide into the oven and bake until the cheese melts, 8 to 10 minutes.

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