The dinner hour can make for a stressful time in many households, but it doesn't have to.
With good planning you can pull together a weekly meal plan chuck full of quick weeknight dinners that can either be prepared within minutes or thrown into the slow cooker for the day.
Surprising Things You Can Make In A Slow Cooker
One of my family's favourite meals is Creamy Garlicky Chicken Pasta. This pasta is one of those meals that is ready within 20 minutes. Kids love it because they can also be involved in the process of preparing a dinner with Mom or Dad that the whole family will devour.
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded (a shredded rotisserie chicken will suffice)
1/4 cup of butter or margarine
4 tbsp flour
1.5 cup low sodium chicken broth (or .25 cup white wine and 1.25 cup low sodium chicken broth)
1.5 cup milk
1 - 375g box of pasta (elbow, penne or rotini)
4 tsp fresh minced garlic
3 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (I always say the more cheese the better, but 1/2 cup will do)
2-3 cups steamed broccoli, asparagus and/or mushrooms (optional)
Directions
Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
Over medium high heat, melt butter in pan and add garlic. Cook until fragrant. About 1-2 minutes.
Add flour and stir constantly. Cook about 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in milk and broth. Stir sauce frequently until is comes to a light simmer and thickens. Remove from heat. Add spices, shredded chicken, cheese and vegetables. Stir until the cheese has melted.
Add the pasta to the sauce. Coat evenly and serve.
Adapted from Food.com
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