slow cooker sundays

slow cooker cheddar fondue soup

This cheesy fondue soup is a beautiful, rich, creamy fall treat. Lots and lots of cheesy goodness with the tang of a good full-bodied beer (I used an Alaskan Amber for this one!) and a smoky hint of spice.

It really does taste like a big bowl of fondue. Yum!

I am beyond obsessed with soups lately… I know I’ve used that word quite a bit recently, so if you’re keeping track: Soup + eggnog + pumpkin = my current obsessions.

There’s just something about soup when it’s cold out. It’s so comforting. Every part of it!

The mouthwatering smells as it simmers away all day long…

The rich soothing taste as you slurp it up with lots of fresh bread…

The fact that it tastes even better the next day when you heat up some leftovers!

Seriously… how does it get much better than that??

This soup really, really, really tastes better after it has had a day to sit and meld in the fridge.

So much so that if you are making this for company, I would suggest you make it ahead and just reheat it. You will be amazed at how great it tastes after sitting a day or two!

Please don’t be scared of the instant mashed potatoes. They are a great secret-ingredient for thickening soups quickly… and if you check the packages, you can find brands with no weird ingredients… just potatoes & salt!

(Oh, I added a bit of chicken to the soup… because we just love meat. And a little protein never hurts! But it’s definitely not necessary, so feel free to leave out the chicken if you want!)

Slow Cooker Cheddar Fondue Soup Recipe
adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker Vol II

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, thinly chopped
2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1″ chunks
(1 chicken breast, optional)
1 cup full-bodied beer
6 cups chicken stock
1/2-1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shredded Tillamook medium or sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup, or so, instant mashed potatoes
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a skillet, sauté the onions is butter over medium-high heat until they are just brown. Stir in the garlic for a few seconds and then dump it all into the crockpot. (Alternately you can put the onions and melted butter into the crockpot on HIGH for one hour and then add the garlic and continue with the recipe below.)

Dump in the celery, potatoes, beer, stock & spices and stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Take out the chicken breast and shred it or chop it up and set aside. With a potato masher, mash up the potato chunks in the soup, until it is creamy, but still a bit chunky. Add the chicken back in.

Add the cheese into the crockpot and cook on low, stirring occasionally, until melted. If the soup is not as thick as you’d like (we like our soups thick!) slowly sprinkle in instant mashed potatoes until it has reached the consistency you’d like and season wit salt & pepper to taste

Serve with lots of bread, apples & veggies to dip in it!

slow cooker red wine risotto - BAD

I saw this recipe for risotto in the slow cooker and I just had to try it. I love risotto. No one else in my family adores it as much as I do, but they will eat it. And that’s good enough for me!

My favorite risotto recipe has always been this one from Giada DeLaurentiis. Words cannot describe.

So when I saw a recipe for slow cooker risotto, I knew I had to adapt that recipe to try!

My thoughts? Finding a way to enjoy beautiful, rich, creamy risotto without having to stand at the stove and ladle & stir forever when you’ve got toddlers and babies running around your legs and whining for attention = Genius!

(If you’re a risotto lover with kiddos, like me… do you find yourself waiting until they are in bed to make risotto for yourself, so you can enjoy the process un-interrupted?)

Slow Cooker Red Wine Risotto with Peas
adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker Vol. II

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup red wine
5-6 cups chicken stock
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion & sauté until soft & translucent. Add the garlic and rice and sauté, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the rice is slightly translucent.

Dump the rice mixture into the slow cooker and add the wine and stock. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 2 hours, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Just before serving, stir in the cheese, peas & parsley… and season with salt & pepper, to taste.