crockpot

Crock-pot White Chicken Chili

Crock-pot White Chicken Chili is made with chicken breast, Northern beans, yellow onion, chicken broth, salsa verde and seasonings. Top with sour cream , fresh avocado slices, tortilla strips and cilantro.

January is the month for soups and slow cooked meals. This time of year my crock-pot has a permanent spot on the kitchen counter so we use it daily – and we pretty much do just that! This Crock-pot White Chicken Chili

Crock-pot White Chicken Chili

Crock-pot White Chicken Chili is one of those really simple dump and go meals. Just make sure to soak the beans in a big bowl of water the night before so you can toss everything together in the morning. Cook on low all day, shred the chicken and serve with delicious toppings. We enjoy cilantro, fresh avocado, sour cream and crunchy tortilla strips.

If you want to thicken up the broth a bit, take your spoon or ladle and squish some of the cooked beans against the side of the crock-pot before serving! From time to time we also add extras in this soup. Put in whatever extras you have around the house like corn, carrots, celery, or herbs for more flavor and textures!

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili is made with chicken breast, Northern beans, yellow onion, chicken broth, salsa verde and seasonings. Top with sour cream , fresh avocado slices, tortilla strips and cilantro.

Course dinner

Keyword chicken, chili, crockpot, slow coooker, soup

Servings 6 people

Author Amber

Ingredients

1 pound Northern beans soaked overnight
2 chicken breasts
12 ounces salsa verde
48 ounces chicken broth
1 yellow onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary optional
sour cream topping
tortilla strips topping
fresh cilantro topping

Instructions

Soak the beans in water overnight.
Place drained beans, chicken, salsa verde, and chicken broth into crock-pot.
Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Place into crock-pot along with 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon pepper and a bay leaf. I also like to add a sprig of rosemary when I have it on hand.
Cook on low 8-10 hours.
Remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaf.
Remove the chicken breasts, shred, and return to crock-pot.
Mash some of the beans on the side the crock-pot with your ladle or spoon to thicken up the soup to your preference.
Serve with your favorite toppings like sour cream, fresh cilantro and tortilla strips.

What topping will you put on your Crock-pot White Chicken Chili?

Hosting a Football Game with Crock-Pot Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyDollarGeneralWin

Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches are made with chicken slow cooked with onion, BBQ sauce and Dr Pepper® topped with a vinegar and oil coleslaw in a hamburger bun for a simple game day meal.

Ten-hut! Fall is officially here which means college football season is in full swing! Time to huddle up with your friends to plan the who, what, when and where for tailgating and football viewing parties for the season. These Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches are guaranteed to make you the MVP among your friends and family for Saturday football, along with just a few hosting tips!

How to score a big WIN in hosting

Keep it simple and casual. Saturdays are for relaxing even if a big game is on. When hosting, let people kick their feet up and take it easy.
May your food be warm and drinks stay cold! Stock the fridge with Dr Pepper and serve something warm for the main dish.
Snacks galore! Chips, dips, pretzels, peanuts, and a cheese platter set out next to television are a must.
Clean and restock the bathroom. Toilet paper, hand soap, clean hand towels and some air freshener are on the Dollar General shopping list.
Make sure there is seating for everyone. Move the couch, bring in some extra chairs or whatever you need to do to make sure everyone has a comfortable seat.
More snacks. Make sure there is no way the snacks will run dry before the 4th quarter. Overestimate the amount of food and drink you will need and keep the snacks flowing.

The main stop for game day snacks, drinks, cleaning supplies and a few fun decor items is Dollar General for a quick, convenient shopping experience with great prices. I already had chicken in the freezer that just needed to be thawed out so this entire game day meal was a breeze.

Dollar General List

Plates
Napkins
Cups
Dr Pepper
Variety of snacks
Cleaning supplies
Toilet paper
Air freshener
Hand soap
Serving bowls and platters
Utensils
Football decorations
Ingredients: vinegar, vegetable oil, onion, carrots, cabbage/coleslaw mix, sugar, salt, celery seed and BBQ sauce.

Stock up and save on Dr Pepper each time you visit Dollar General!

Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

The mix of sweet Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken with the tang of a vinegar coleslaw are the perfect combination for a game day sandwich. These sandwiches are mouthwatering and just SO DARN DELICIOUS. The secret ingredient to these winning sandwiches are the Dr Pepper. Adding Dr Pepper with its rich, indulgent, one of a kind flavor makes meat so tender and adds that really nice sweetness that you and your friends are going to love. Dr Pepper is the official drink of college football fans and a great way to create yummy recipes with its 23 flavors packed inside every can.

Crock-Pot Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches are made with chicken, slow cooked with onion, BBQ sauce and Dr Pepper® topped with a vinegar and oil coleslaw in a hamburger bun for a simple game day meal.

Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken
3-4 pounds chicken breast
26 ounces your favorite BBQ sauce (2 bottles)
1 yellow onion, diced
12 ounce can Dr Pepper®
Coleslaw
2-3 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 head cabbage, shredded (may substitute 2 bags coleslaw mix)
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon celery seed
8 hamburger buns

Place chicken into the slow cooker.
Dice a yellow onion and place on chicken.
Pour in a bottle of BBQ sauce, followed by a can of Dr Pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours.
As the chicken cooks, prep the coleslaw. Start by washing the vegetables well and peel the carrots.
Quarter the cabbage head and put into a food processor. Pulse until the cabbage is shredded and place into a mixing bowl.
Grate the carrots and slice the green onions. Add to cabbage. Dollar General has packaged coleslaw if you want to save time! Two bags will equal a head of cabbage.
In a small bowl, add sugar, salt, celery seed, vinegar and oil. Mix well and add to the bowl of cabbage. Stir, cover and place in fridge until the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred in a mixing bowl. The chicken should shred easily with just a fork.
Add 1 cup of BBQ sauce and 1 cup of the liquid and onion from the crock-pot. Mix in with the shredded chicken.
Place a heap of chicken on a hamburger bun, followed by some coleslaw.
Serve with a side of coleslaw and a cold Dr Pepper.

Game Day

Hosting game day is pretty relaxed. No need to be a perfectionist and scrub every inch of the house. Do a quick clean of the house making sure the bathrooms are stocked, set up the television viewing area with plenty of seating and prep some food. Begin your Dr Pepper Pulled Chicken Sandwiches 6 hours before kick off, make sure the drinks are cold and have plenty of snacks available! Do you have any hosting tips for game day? Share them in the comments below.

Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is made with whole milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, maple syrup and white chocolate chips for a hot treat that is a must-make this fall season!

What screams fall more than pumpkin spice?

…….well……

…….hmmm……

…….uhm……

Oh that’s right- nothing! This Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is a nice twist from a regular hot chocolate with the added pumpkin and perfect to serve for a crowd on Thanksgiving, prepare while the kids are out trick-or-treating or any other upcoming gathering this season. I am making this again for my family when we head out to the pumpkin patch in the next couple weeks as a warm treat when we get back home to sip as we carve pumpkins. I cannot wait!

Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is really easy to cook up in the slow cooker. You simply dump all the ingredients in, let it cook on low for 3 hours and stir as often as possible.

When the chocolate has melted and the liquid is heated thoroughly, you can serve with a dollop of whipping cream and some cinnamon sugar sprinkled over top. Add a cinnamon stick for a garnish if you would like and enjoy.

Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate, hot chocolate for a crowd, Thanksgiving recipe, pumpkin spice recipe

Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is made with whole milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, maple syrup and white chocolate chips for a hot treat that is a must-make this fall season!

Yields: 10 servings

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
8 cups whole milk (1/2 gallon)
15 ounces pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
12 ounces white chocolate chips
Cinnamon sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Garnish
Whipping cream
Cinnamon sugar
Cinnamon stick

Place the whole milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice and chocolate chips into a 4 quart crock-pot. I actually used my 3 quart crock-pot but it was a tight squeeze so a bit larger would be ideal.
Place on low for 3 hours stirring every so often. Once the chocolate chips have melted and liquid is hot, you can serve.
Make the cinnamon sugar by adding sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and mixing.
Serve the pumpkin spice hot chocolate by filling a mug 3/4 the way full, top with whipping cream, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours

Are you a big pumpkin spice lover like myself? If so, you are going to fall in love with this Crock-pot Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate.

Halloween Bash {+ Eyeball Cupcakes Recipe}

Halloween Bash

Eyeball Cupcakes Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FrighteninglyFunFlavors

It is that time of year again to gather all your best witches and throw a Halloween Bash! I have a full spread today from Hot Dog Mummies to Spiderweb Dip to deliciously spooky desserts like Eyeball Cupcakes made with 7UP®. This years Halloween Bash is a kid-friendly event! I created really simple recipes for you to copy that both kids and adults are going to love and drink choices that will please the entire crowd. Have you ever had a Bloody Shirley Temple? They are bloody good and I am sharing just how to make them. My first stop when throwing a great party is Walmart to grab all the goodies. Walmart has all the Halloween decor, costumes, food and drinks you could possibly need. Print out this grocery list and visit the seasonal department to make the party complete. For a limited time you can find seasonal 7UP, A&W®, Sunkist®, Squirt® and Canada Dry® Minicans with your favorite characters, like Johnny or Mavis, available at Walmart on the beverage aisle. These minican beverages are the perfect size for a kids treat and you can create so many frighteningly good recipes with all the great flavors.

Click HERE for more recipe inspiration and party ideas!

Halloween Bash

Decorations

A party isn’t a party without some great decorations! Pick one room in your home to transform into the party spot. Next, pick a theme. I chose a simple white, black and orange theme so everything is cohesive and looks put together. Also, make sure to have playlist of haunting music ready and a table full of snacks and drinks. Get your guests pumped up to wear their best costumes to really set the tone of the party! All the great costumes add to the decor. Think about having a costume contest with a grand prize to inspire everyone to be creative and bring their best! Here is the full list of Halloween decorations to make you the party host of the year:

Table liner
Cupcake liners
Fake spiders
Serving bowls, trays and utensils
Plates
Cups
Straws
Napkins
Toothpicks
Decorations for the wall- bats or fake webs look great.
Just a few extras like a skull, skeleton, crows, or whatever else you stumble upon at Walmart that will bring your room to life.
Halloween party food is more than just something to snack on! You will find great ideas below that are both decorative and delicious.

Halloween Bash Food

Popcorn with Spiders

Bags of popcorn
Fake spiders

Cook a few bags of popcorn according to packaged directions and place in a cauldron. Add a few fake spiders on top and you have an easy snack that everyone loves ready in a snap.

Hot Dog Mummies

20 hot dogs
2 cans crescent roll sheets
40 candy eyeballs
Mustard
Non-stick cooking spray

These Hot Dog Mummies fused all kinds of excitement with the kids. I even received a round of applause from my three year old so I can guarantee these have been child-tested and child-approved. To make Hot Dog Mummies, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Take 2 crescent roll sheets and use a rolling pin to quickly run over the top to get rid of any creases in the dough. Next, use a pizza cutter to make thin strips for the mummy “bandages”. I did 30 per sheet so 60 strips total. Wrap each hot dog with 3 strips leaving a space for the mummy face. Use the non-stick spray on a baking sheet, place the wrapped hot dogs on the baking sheet and bake 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Make the mummy faces with the candy eyeballs by squeezing a bit of mustard on the face area to help the eyes stick in place.

Crock-pot A&W Meatballs

7.5 ounce A&W Minican
2 pound bag of frozen meatballs.
18 ounce bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce.

Place the frozen meatballs into a crock-pot with a bottle of BBQ sauce and an A&W Minican poured in. Cook on high 4 hours and serve with toothpicks for convenient snacking.

Bloody Shirley Temples

Canada Dry Minicans
Maraschino Cherries
Grenadine
10 ml party syringes (Monojects)

Bloody Shirley Temples are a spin off from the classic drink. Fill each syringe with 10 ml of grenadine. Add Canada Dry into a glass with a couple cherries and the grenadine filled syringe. Let guests press the plunger of the syringe into the drink to create their own Bloody Shirley Temple. Food that is interactive is always a huge hit!

Jack-O-Lantern Floats

Sunkist Minicans
Vanilla ice cream

A Sunkist Minican and a scoop of vanilla ice cream combine in a cup to create a Jack-O-Lantern Float. You can even draw a pumpkin face on each cup before the party for extra fun.

Spiderweb Dip & Chips

16 ounce can refried beans
1 ounce packet taco seasoning
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup chunky salsa
1 tomato, diced
3.8 ounce can sliced olives
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup guacamole
Party-sized bag tortilla chips

Could a party food be more fun than this Spiderweb Dip and Chips? My vote is no! You can have this dip done in just a few minutes and it tastes amazing. Start by mixing a packet of taco seasoning with a can of refried beans placing it in the bottom of a party bowl or pie pan. Add a layer of chunky salsa, followed by a layer of guacamole. Next, place sour cream into a pastry bag with a small decorating tip. Draw a spiderweb with the sour cream onto the guacamole layer. Finish the dip with spreading shredded lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheese and sliced olives along the sides. Serve with tortilla chips.

Grab your complete Walmart grocery list HERE to print out.

Don’t forget the decorations, costumes for the family and other spooky fun items to make your Halloween Bash completely epic!

Eyeball Cupcakes Recipe

Eyeball Cupcakes are made with a basic white box cake mix, butter, egg whites and a can of 7UP topped with a really simple 7UP frosting and a bloody gumball eyeball. One of my favorite uses for 7UP is in cake mix! 7UP makes cake so moist and adds just a hint of flavor to a basic white cake. You need to give it a try for sure! I always used 7UP in the frosting and adding some freshly squeezed lemon and lime giving the cupcake a really subtle flavor that works well. Since it is Halloween, we had to dress these cupcakes up with some sprinkles, a red gel for fake blood and a gumball eyeball.

Eyeball Cupcakes

Yields: 24 cupcakes

7UP® Cupcakes
7.5 ounce 7UP® Minican
16 ounce box white cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 egg whites
7UP®Frosting
1/4 cup 7UP®
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup all-vegetable shortneing
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
4 cups confectioners sugar
Garnish
Sprinkles (optional)
Red Decorating Gel
Gumball Eyeballs (can substitute for Gummy Eyeballs or your own creation)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and beat. Add 3 egg whites, cake mix, 7.5 ounce 7UP® Minican and beat ingredients together until smooth.
Place cupcake liners into a muffin pan and fill each liner 3/4 full of cake mix.
Bake for 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
Place cupcakes on a cooling rack.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, start the frosting. In a mixing bowl, add a stick of butter and 1/2 cup all-vegetable shortening. Beat until creamy.
Add 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Beat again.
Slowly add in the confectioners sugar and 1/4 cup 7UP® alternating between the two until you have a smooth mixture. You should be able to scoop some frosting on a spoon and turn upside down without it moving- that's when your frosting is ready. Note that you may not use all of the 7UP® so adding it slowly is key.
Place the frosting into a pastry bag with a large frosting tip. Frost each cupcake.
Shake sprinkles over the top.
Start at the center of each cupcake and make lines coming down using the red decorating gel to mimic blood.
Place a gumball eyeball in the center of each cupcake and serve.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 16 minutes

Check out this site for more Frighteningly Fun inspiration!

Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice

Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice made in the crock-pot with ground turkey, corn, beans, bell peppers, onion and more topped with your favorites like jalapeno and avocado or sour cream and salsa.

Chili is a staple in this household during the cold winter months. It is simple, affordable and bonus points if cooked in the crockpot. This Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice is super filling and comforting. Placing chili over rice really allows you to feed a lot of mouths on the cheap because this dish goes a long way. Tastes great re-heated through the week for lunches too.

Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice

What I love about this Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice is that I can use my beloved crock-pot and the rainbow of ingredients. I am all about keeping meals simple.

After you have browned the ground turkey with chopped onion, just dump everything in that slow cooker and dinner is ready when you get home from work. You can add extra toppings with whatever you like. Jalapenos, sour cream , salsa, fresh avocado, shredded cheese… just to give you some tasty ideas.

Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice

Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice made in the crock-pot with ground turkey, corn, beans, bell peppers, onion and more topped with your favorites like jalapeno and avocado or sour cream and salsa.

Loaded Turkey Chili Over Rice
1.5 pounds ground turkey
2 packs chili seasoning
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1/2 onion, white
8 ounce can corn, drained
14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
15 ounce can chili beans
15 ounce can kidney beans
1 jalapeno
2.5 cups tomato juice
4 cups cooked white rice
To thicken (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup liquid
Toppings
avocado
cheese, shredded
jalapeno
hot sauce
salsa
sour cream

Chop the onion and bell peppers. Finely dice a jalapeno.
On the stovetop, cook the diced onion and ground turkey until turkey begins to brown.
Place the browned ground turkey, onion, bell peppers, diced jalapeno, tomato juice, chili seasoning, and the cans of corn, beans and tomato in the crock-pot.
Set crock-pot on low for 6 hours.
If you want to thicken the chili a bit, whisk 2 tablespoons of flour and 1/2 cup liquid (can be more tomato juice or juice from the cooked chili). Pour the thickened mixture into crock-pot and stir in.
Cook rice according to directions. I always just dump mine in the rice cooker and let the timer do its job.
Pour a ladle of chili over a serving of rice.
Pick your toppings! Dice a fresh avocado, cheese, more jalapeno, add your favorite hot sauce or salsa, sour cream or whatever you wish.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

This post is sponsored by Hatfield and SheKnows Media.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham made in the crock-pot with brown sugar, honey, orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, garlic and orange marmalade featuring Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham.

The time of year is upon us for family gatherings, work events and dinner with friends. This Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham is a beautiful centerpiece entrée that’s a real crowd pleasure or just a comforting Sunday dinner on a cold day. This ham can even be prepped at home ahead of time and travels easily in the crock-pot to your dinner party destination.

Hatfield is one of Pennsylvania’s family-owned, American-made, heritage brands creating products of high quality. Hatfield products are all about keeping things delicious, simple and stress-free in the kitchen and promotes the importance of family time. In my home, mealtime is family time – no matter where the meal takes place.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham is a favorite classic of mine. Cooking the ham in the crock-pot makes this tasty entrée simple to make and so flavorful!

What about the leftovers? Okay, I will admit, leftovers might be the best part of making this gorgeous Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham with Hatfield’s boneless hams. Cold ham sandwich with gouda cheese, a grilled cheese with cheddar and warmed up ham, diced in a morning omelet or an easy snack paired with crackers.

Let’s get slow cooking!

Open your Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham using the easy open tab at the top and place into your slow cooker. For this particular recipe, remove the netting before cooking.

Hop over to your food processor. Add the orange marmalade, brown sugar, garlic cloves, honey and zest from an orange. Squeeze the juice from that orange and blend everything together. Pour over the ham and cover the top with aluminum foil. Put the crock-pot lid on and cook on low 4 hours. Half way through cooking, baste the ham once and cover again. I don’t recommend cooking past 4 hours since the Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham is pre-cooked so you just want to warm up the product.

Once the ham has finished heating up in the crock-pot, pre-heat the oven to broil and place the ham onto a pan. I just use a baking sheet lined with foil. With the juices left at the bottom of the crock-pot, place on the stove-top with a bit of flour. Whisk until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken. Pour over the ham and broil for 5-10 minutes to get that stunning glaze.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham is now ready to serve and the smell is amazing! If you need to take the dish to-go, simply put it back into the crock-pot to keep warm and head out. Serve as soon as possible and keep in mind the longer you have the ham on the warm setting, the more you risk it drying out.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham made in the crock-pot with brown sugar, honey, orange zest, freshly squeezed orange, garlic and orange marmalade cooked with Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham.

3 pound Hatfield’s boneless ham
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2-4 garlic cloves (use 4 for a stronger garlic taste, just how I like it)
1/4 cup juice from orange
1 orange, zest
1 orange, sliced (garnish of platter)
2 tablespoons flour

Remove netting from ham and place into crock-pot.
In the food processor, add brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, and 2-4 cloves garlic (4 for my garlic lovers). Zest and juice 1 orange. Blend ingredients.
Pour the sauce over ham.
Cover the top with foil and secure lid.
Cook on low 3.5-4 hours. Baste the ham half-way through placing the sauce back on top.
Pre-heat oven to a broil.
Remove ham from crock-pot and place onto a pan to place in oven.
Place the sauce from the bottom of crock-pot into a saucepan on the stovetop on a medium to high heat. Add the flour and whisk until simmering and thickening.
Drizzle over the ham and broil 5-10 minutes.
Slice an orange to decorate the bottom of the serving platter for an extra special touch and pop of color.

Crockpot Holiday Mashed Red Potatoes with Gouda

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. #TurkeyDayTips #CollectiveBias

Crockpot Holiday Mashed Red Potatoes made in the slow cooker with red potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, rosemary, garlic and melted gouda cheese are the must have side dish this Thanksgiving. We are pairing these creamy potatoes and the rest of Thanksgiving dinner with Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Red Blend to pull together the spirit of the day.

With my husband being in the military going home for holidays hasn’t always been an option, especially when we were younger and didn’t have the money for flights and travel. I hosted my first Thanksgiving dinner with friends as a teenager and it was a disaster.

Disaster!!

Our friends are gracious and amazing so they were more than thankful that I cooked but I just took on way too much! I made everything I could think of from scratch and it was so stressful and chaotic. I have learned a few things over the past decade and the biggest tip I have to help a new entertainer prepare is to focus on just a few dishes and make them fantastic!

As a host, you want to focus on the “stars” on the table. Those are the turkey, the must-have mashed potatoes, the drinks and of course of the dessert. I’m helping you out today going over each of these star items.

Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to bring items. Designate someone to bring rolls, someone to bring green beans and whatever else you want to see on the dinner table. Your guests want to bring something and contribute! Take away some stress and let them.

Click HERE for Turkey Day tips!

Shop and redeem rewards with Shopkick this holiday season!

Click HERE for more info.

Hosting

Hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner can get a bit overwhelming but we are keeping it as simple as possible. We have the big items taken care of with the Butterball Whole Turkey, Woodridge Wines, side of Crockpot Mashed Red Potatoes with Gouda, Marie Callender’s Dessert Pies and Marie Callender’s Loaf Cakes.

The stars of dinner:

Butterball Whole Turkey – figure 1 pound per guest.
Marie Callender’s Dessert Pies and Marie Callender’s Loaf Cakes – enough for each guest to have two slices. Yes, two! It’s Thanksgiving!
Crockpot Red Mashed Potato with Gouda ingredients (recipe card below)
Woodridge Red Blend, Woodridge Chardonnay and Woodridge Cabernet – 1/2 bottle per person and get a selection of both the red and white

What else is on that Turkey Day checklist?

2 clean plates for each guest
water glass for each guest and wine glass for everyone over 21
silverware- 2 forks, 1 spoon and 1 knife for each guest
beautiful serving platter/bowl for each dish and dessert
roasting pan
thermometer
hand mixer
crockpot
to-go boxes for guest leftovers
napkins
gravy bowl
ample amount of servings spoons for each dish
knife for carving the turkey

The special touches are what gives the holiday a warm, inviting feeling to the dinner table. Just a few items can bring out that “wow” factor.

Get the wow factor:

candles
tablecloth
table liner
pumpkin and leaf for each guest
placemats
fresh flowers
the turkey is naturally the centerpiece so place some rosemary and fresh cranberries on the platter for instant décor

The Wine

Wine pairing is an area that can be intimidating but I have you covered. Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Red Blend was released earlier this year and comes in 750 mL and 1.5L bottles. The wine offers warm, toasty aromas and flavors, including jammy blackberry, vanilla, and baking spices. It’s full and rich with a long, flavorful finish. Pairs well with all your holiday favorites, including the turkey, potatoes and even pumpkin pie.

Woodbridge has been crafted for 30 years and offers classic wines that are balanced and smooth making them ideal for gatherings with friends and family for that perfect pairing. Woodbridge Red Blend is my recommended wine but also pick up Woodbridge Chardonnay and Woodbridge Cabernet so there is a great selection.

Visit Woodridge and follow on social media:

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Turkey Time

Butterball is the #1 brand of turkey in America for a reason! Butterball Whole Turkeys are all natural and pre-brined giving you the highest quality, juiciest turkey perfect for your Thanksgiving celebrations. Every Butterball Whole Turkey comes with easy-to-follow instructions packaged in an easy open bag.

I bought a 10 pound Butterball Whole Turkey. If you are questioning how much you need to buy, figure 1 pound per person. This will give you more than enough for everyone and allow for leftovers. I followed the instructions that came with my turkey and thawed it out for a few hours in cold water, changing out the water every 30 minutes. Then, I preheat the oven to 325 degrees. I rubbed olive oil on top of the turkey and instead using stuffing inside the turkey, I filled the cavity with onion, lemon and rosemary for a nice aromatic. I cooked the turkey for 3 hours until the thigh temperature was at 180 degrees.

Don’t fret over the gravy! Your Butterball Whole Turkey comes with a gravy packet and instructions to whisk up the perfect gravy for those potatoes and turkey.

Only Butterball has a team of turkey experts at the Turkey Talk-Line who are ready and waiting to answer all of your cooking questions. Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text 844-877-3456.

Visit Butterball and follow on social media:

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Crockpot Holiday Mashed Red Potatoes with Gouda

I am a big fan of mashed potatoes of any kind but today I wanted to make them extra special for the big Thanksgiving dinner so I pulled together these Crockpot Holiday Mashed Red Potatoes with Gouda cheese. This side dish is so tasty and very simple to whip up.

Wash your red potatoes, peel or don’t peel (up to you), quarter and toss in that slow cooker for 3-4 hours with chicken broth, minced garlic and some fresh rosemary. Once the potatoes are tender, remove the rosemary, add shredded gouda cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth and creamy.

You are definitely going to want to make these mashed red potatoes!! They are a huge hit!

Crockpot Holiday Mashed Red Potatoes with Gouda

Yields: 15 servings

5 pounds red potatoes
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs rosemary
8 ounces gouda cheese, shredded
.5 cup chicken broth
.5 cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Wash and quarter 5 pounds of red potatoes.
Peel potatoes if you wish. I like to peel half to keep some skin.
Place chopped red potatoes, .5 cup chicken broth, minced garlic cloves and 3 sprigs of rosemary in crockpot.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Remove rosemary sprigs.
Add sour cream, cream cheese, shredded gouda, salt and pepper.
Use a hand mixer to mix ingredients together until creamy. You can add a pinch of milk if you need to thin out the mashed potatoes.
Cook another 15 minutes so cheese melts and serve.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours

Dessert

Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without warm, delicious desserts. End Thanksgiving on a high note with Marie Callender’s Dessert Pies and new Marie Callender’s Loaf Cakes. Dutch Apple and Chocolate Satin Dessert Pies taste just like homemade that are easy to make and quick to clean up. Marie Callender’s Loaf Cakes are made from scratch with real ingredients and no preservatives or artificial colors with flavors like Double Chocolate and Banana Nut.

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I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season with friends and family. Have you hosted a big Thanksgiving dinner or are you a new entertainer? Leave a comment below with tips from my veteran hosts for my newbies. New entertainers, leave a comment with any questions or concerns.

Crockpot Southern-Style Green Beans

Southern-Style Green Beans

Southern-Style Green Beans made in the crockpot slow cooked to side dish heaven. Made with fresh green beans and loads of delicious bacon for all my bacon lovers out there!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are officially on a countdown now. I started my Christmas shopping and holiday menu planning. One dish that is typically on the table for holidays with my family is a green bean dish and these Southern-style Green Beans are always a huge hit!

This side dish goes well beyond just the holidays. Make these any time for a bright, fresh comfort food paired with anything from ham to chicken, baked potatoes to rice. This is a simple dish with delicious flavor and a must make!

Crockpot Southern-Style Green Beans

Southern-Style Green Beans made in the crockpot slow cooked to side dish heaven. Made with fresh green beans and loads of delicious bacon for all my bacon lovers out there!

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 pound thick cut bacon (.5 pound of you want to cut back the bacon)
1 medium yellow onion
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 sprigs thyme
salt
pepper

Chop the yellow onion.
Wash and trim the green beans.
Chop your bacon and cook in a pan on a medium heat until crispy.
Place on a paper towels to the side.
Dispose of excess bacon grease. I always place my bacon grease into a mug and let it harden before throwing away.
Place the same pan back on the burner and cook your onion for 3 minutes.
Add the green beans for another 2 minutes tossing often.
Place the green beans and onion into the crockpot. Add in a dash of salt, pepper, HALF the cooked bacon, broth and thyme.
Cook on high for 3 hours.
Stir in other half of cooked bacon and serve.

Crockpot Cincinnati Style Chili

Cincinnati Style Chili

Cincinnati Style Chili slow cooked in the crockpot with ground beef and spices topped with red beans, onion and a pile of cheese on a bed of spaghetti.

When I first moved to Cincinnati a few years back everyone raved about the chili here. It took me awhile to get the courage to try out a Cincinnati Style Chili because it is different than what us West Coast people are used to but it is delicious.

There are a few things that make Cincinnati Style Chili special. The first thing you will notice is the obvious serving over spaghetti with a huge pile of shredded cheddar cheese on top. The next is the chili itself. You get a lot of cinnamon and cocoa flavors and the chili, although very meaty, has more of a sauce consistency in comparison to a chunky Texas style chili.

To get the consistency correct, you do not want to brown the meat before placing into the crockpot. Chop the onion and place in crockpot and break up the meat inside your slow cooker. Add the rest of your ingredients and let cook on low all day.

We are creating a “5 way” today. This is how a popular chili joint here in Cincinnati does it and you can opt out on any step to build it the way you like. I am not a raw onion fan so I leave the onion off.

Start with a heaping portion of cooked spaghetti. Place a couple ladles worth of chili on top. Sprinkle with chopped raw onion, then drained canned kidney beans.

Now for the cheese! Cincinnati Style Chili is not complete without the shredded cheddar cheese. Place a large portion on cheese on top and you are ready to eat. Hot sauce and oyster crackers are also a nice addition and traditionally served with chili here in Cincinnati.

Crockpot Cincinnati Style Chili

Cincinnati Style Chili slow cooked in the crockpot with ground beef and spices topped with red beans, onion and a pile of cheese on a bed of spaghetti.

Yields: feeds 6

Cincinnati Style Chili
2 pounds ground beef
3 cups water
1 white onion
16 ounces tomato sauce
.5 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 bay leaf
.5 teaspoon cinnamon
1.5 teaspoon salt
Serve with
1 pound spaghetti
1 onion
15 ounce can kidney beans
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
oyster cracker (optional)
hot sauce (optional)

Chop one onion and place into crockpot with the ground beef.
Break up the ground beef and add tomato sauce, red pepper, cumin, chili powder, cocoa powder, minced garlic cloves, vinegar, salt, cinnamon and a bay leaf.
Slow cook on low 6-8 hours and remove bay leaf.
Cook spaghetti according to box instructions.
Chop the other onion and drain your kidney beans.
Stack your "5 way" with spaghetti, chili, onion, kidney beans and a pile of cheese.
Serve with oyster crackers and a dash of hot sauce.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with onion, carrots, celery, seasonings, potatoes and a moist roast with gravy. All cooked in the slow cooker to come home on long, cold day to a delicious hearty meal.

I will be the first to admit, this dish is not the prettiest! But boy, does it taste great. Plus it is so simple. You just need 5 minutes in the morning to throw everything in your crock pot before you head out the door.

We really love this meal because, besides it being simple, it is comforting and warm. On a chilly day, I want nothing more than to come home to a dinner just like this. You just turn the crock pot off after 8 hours (longer is okay) and serve your family.

The meat is important for this dish. Look for a rump roast or even a chuck roast if you prefer. Make sure the meat is freshly cut. Roast is amazing for crock pot meals…. although I probably don’t have to tell you that. The roast gets tender and falls apart, the juices infuse flavor into your other ingredients and form a nice gravy in addition to the cream of mushroom.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it…

This Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe makes a lot of food! We enjoy having left overs the following day making this also a super affordable way to feed your family.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2-3 pounds rump roast
1 pot roast seasoing packet
1 pound baby carrots
4 celery stalks
2-3 pounds medium potatoes of choice
.5 small white onion
10.5 ounce can cream of musroom

Line your crock pot with a slow cooker liner if you like.
Wash your potatoes and celery well.
Place your potatoes on the bottom and up the sides the crock pot.
Chop the celery and dump inside, along with the carrots.
Place your roast on top. Make sure you will be able to close the lid! It will be a full crock pot.
Place the pot roast seasoning on your meat and press it into all sides.
Chop the half of an onion and place on top of meat.
Top everything with your can of cream of mushroom.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Remove the meat to slice.
Stir the remainder of ingredients in crock pot to get the gravy all consistent.
Serve.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2-3 pounds rump roast
1 pot roast seasoing packet
1 pound baby carrots
4 celery stalks
2-3 pounds medium potatoes of choice
.5 small white onion
10.5 ounce can cream of musroom

Line your crock pot with a slow cooker liner if you like.
Wash your potatoes and celery well.
Place your potatoes on the bottom and up the sides the crock pot.
Chop the celery and dump inside, along with the carrots.
Place your roast on top. Make sure you will be able to close the lid! It will be a full crock pot.
Place the pot roast seasoning on your meat and press it into all sides.
Chop the half of an onion and place on top of meat.
Top everything with your can of cream of mushroom.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Remove the meat to slice.
Stir the remainder of ingredients in crock pot to get the gravy all consistent.
Serve.

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