Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken

Picture courtesy and recipe adapted from Lauren Greutman

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C light soy sauce
2 TBSP honey or brown sugar
2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 C peanut butter, smooth
1/4 C cold water
2 TBSP corn starch
1/4 C peanuts, chopped (optional) to garnish
green onions to garnish

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker (except peanut butter, water, cornstarch and garnish items)
2. Cook on high for 4 hours or medium for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
3. Add peanut butter to slow cooker and mix in.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch in the cold water.
5. Add to a small sauce pan and heat over medium.
6. Add about 1/4 C of liquid from the slow cooker to the sauce pan and whisk until it becomes bubbly, thick and smooth.
7. Place thickened liquid into the slow cooker and mix in well.
8 Cook another 10 minutes.
9 Serve over rice and top with green onions and peanuts (optional).

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Photo and recipe adapted from The Recipe Critic

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Flank Steak
1/4 C cornstarch
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic gloves
3/4 C light soy sauce
3/4 C water
3/4 C brown sugar
1 C julienne cut carrots, or shredded
green onions, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Cut flank steak in thin strips. In a ziplock bad add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
2. Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, br sugar and carrots to slow cooker. Stir, add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
3. Cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Slow Cooker Potatoes (Melanie Feser)

 Photo courtesy Damn Delicious
                   Recipe from Melanie Feser

Ingredients:

5 pounds Serra gold potatoes or red potatoes, diced with peel
1 C water
1 C butter, cut into chunks
1 TBSP salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/3 Cups milk, warmed

Instructions:

• 1. Wash and place potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker
• 2. Season with salt and pepper
• 3. Cover, and cook on high for 4 hours
• 4. Do not remove the excess water from the slow cooker. This adds to the creamy texture.
• 5. Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve the desired consistency.
• 6. Keep warm on low until serving.
• 7. Potatoes keep consistency for  a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep lid on slow cooker and serve directly from there.

This recipe is also yummy when done only through step 3, and super easy.