How to Look Like a Cook When You Don’t Feel Like It

Need a yummy fall-ish Sunday dinner recipe? Have company coming for a meal? Need to impress your mother-in-law with you’re a-mazing cooking prowess? Just don’t feel like making a big, fancy meal today?

Meet the best slow-cooker recipe you will ever make. It’s pretty much a staple around our house and Kyle’s absolute favorite. It’s my stand-by, my old faithful, my uh-oh-we-invited-our-neighbors-to-dinner-and-I-don’t-have-time-to-cook recipe…

Cranberry Chicken

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken (I like boneless, skinless thighs but you can use whatever)

1 16-oz can whole cranberry sauce

2 T dry onion soup mix

2 T instant or quick-cooking tapioca

Where are the rest of the ingredients?? you ask. What kind of game are you playing, Elizabeth?

The directions are kind of complicated so read slowly. First, dump ingredients in crockpot (I usually go chicken, then berries, then tapioca and soup mix, followed by stirring). Next, turn crockpot on (this is very important and I have forgotten this step in the past). Wait 2 1/2-3 hours (if on high) or 5-6 hours (if on low). Eat.

Seriously, though. I have never had someone NOT love this meal. You can serve it with anything. I like mashed potatoes or baked sweet potatoes (like I’m doing today) but you can also use rice, pasta, bread, or just a side salad or veggies. The leftovers heat up great, too, and are delicious on a sandwich.

In case anyone’s wondering, the original recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens’ All Time Favorites Slow Cooker 2005. Just so we’re clear that I didn’t invent this impossibly perfect slow cooker meal.

What about you? Anyone have a recipe they can’t live without?

love, elizabeth

PS: It will make your home smell like you’ve been slaving away in a kitchen all day, cooking like a fiend. When, in fact, you went to work, got a pedicure, went for a walk, read a novel, took a hot bath… and then set the table. Bam.