Spicy Summer Sausage Stew

I am in a soup mood. I swore off soup after my liquid diet almost 3 years ago, but it really is one of my favorite foods. I got some spicy sausage after moving into my new place yesterday. If you're kinda bored of sausage peppers and onions, this is a great recipe for you.

• 1lb hot Italian sausage
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
  
• 1/2 chopped zucchini
• 1/2 chopped yellow squash
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced fine
• 2 bell peppers, chopped fine
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown sausage in a skillet with a little cooking spray. Add sausage to crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. This is spicy and super delicious! You can also do this in a large soup pot and simmer for 1-2 hours.

Crock Pot Summer Chicken and Veggies

I'm on a chicken kick recently. I think it's because for so long I had issues with chicken, but now I know how to cook it well so it goes down just fine, and its been on sale a lot recently LOL. You can really experiment a lot with the recipe because it's so easy and versatile.

• 1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used breast tenders)



• 1 large green squash-cut in large chunks (or zucchini, which I prefer, but there were none at the market that day)



• 1 large white or yellow onion-cut in large pieces



• 1 lb carrots-cut in bite sized pieces, I used baby carrots



• 1 bottle of zesty Italian dressing



• Parmesan cheese



• salt and pepper

Add all the chopped veggies on the bottom of the crock pot. Pour half the dressing on top of the veggies, add some salt, pepper and parm cheese and mix. Place the raw chicken breasts on top of the veggies, pour the remaining dressing on top of the chicken, add parm cheese on top. Turn crock pot on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for about 2 hours.