Slow Cooker Sausage and Veggie Soup

1 lb spicy sausage (ground or links, sliced)
8 medium-sized carrots (about 1 pound), sliced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 medium-sized zucchini (about one cup), chopped
1 medium-sized yellow squash (about one cup), chopped
15 oz can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken broth
24 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce

1. Put sausage in bottom of slower cooker.  Add all the other ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the carrots are soft.
2. Break apart sausage and stir.

Freezer Meal Method:
1. Label 1 gallon-sized freezer ziploc bag.
2. To the freezer bag, add pasta sauce, cannellini beans, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and ground sausage.  Add the ground sausage last, so it's the first ingredient poured into the slow cooker.  Do not add chicken broth to bag; it will be added when you are ready to cook the meal.
3. Remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay flat in your freezer.
4. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to refrigerator to thaw.
5. The morning of cooking, pour contents of bag into slow cooker, add chicken broth, and cook on low for 8 hours or until carrots are soft.
6. Break apart sausage and serve.

Source: No Cook Freezer Meals, by Kelly McNelis (thefamilyfreezer.com)

Try #1 - February 24, 2022
I decided to just make this in the crockpot without freezing first, to see if it was a meal worthy of freezing.  It was!  The soup was delicious, and easy, and hit the spot on a cold February night.  I will definitely try the freezer method on this one.  Some modifications I made: I used Trader Joe's sweet Italian chicken sausage links, sliced (next time I would cut the pieces even smaller) and I used an extra zucchini instead of a yellow squash.  I also used garbanzo beans instead of cannellini.  For the pasta sauce, I used a 15 oz can of Kirkland pasta sauce and then added enough Classico sauce to get up to the 24 oz total.  We served this with Abby's biscuits, but it would also be great with crusty bread.

Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half if large
1 tbsp butter
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup wild rice-brown rice blend (I use Lundberg)
2 egg yolks (optional)
2 tsp garlic-infused or regular olive oil
1 small leek, green parts only, sliced
3 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Grated parmesan cheese for serving
Chopped fresh Italian parsley for serving

1. Add all ingredients through rice to a large slow cooker and cook until chicken breasts are opaque in the thickest part (165F on an instant-read thermometer) and rice is tender, 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.  Transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour about ¼ cup of the hot soup into the yolks as you whisk (this heats up the yolks so they don't start to scramble when you add them to the hot soup). With the slow cooker on high, slowly pour the yolk mixture into the soup, stirring as you pour. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 10 minutes.

3. Heat the garlic oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add leek, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Shred the chicken and add it back to the slow cooker along with the leeks. Cover and cook for a few minutes, just until chicken is heated through. If soup is very thick, add water or broth (I added about ½ cup) to thin as you like. Turn off slow cooker and stir in the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Source: https://calmbellykitchen.com/blog/slow-cooker-chicken-wild-rice-soup

Slow Cooker Chicken, Kale, and White Bean Stew

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic (or more to taste), finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled (or well-scrubbed) and sliced
2 springs fresh thyme and 1 small spring fresh rosemary (alternately, use 1 tsp herbes de Provence)
1 can chicken broth (or 2 cups homemade)
1 bunch Tuscan kale (aka Lacinato, Dinosaur or black kale), about 12 oz., washed, stemmed and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
 Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving.

1. Put first six ingredients (chicken thighs through herbs) into a slow cooker.  Pour the chicken broth over the top.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
2. Discard the fresh herb sprigs (if using).  Add chopped kale and stir to combine.  Cover and cook on high for 20-30 minutes more.
3. Stir in lemon juice, add more salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese.

Source: Seattle Times

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

14 oz. can beef broth
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 lbs chuck roast
Mozzarella cheese (optional)
6 frozen (or fresh) french rolls

1. Put beef broth and soup mix into crock pot and mix it around.
2. Add well-trimmed chuck roast and mix it in with the broth mixture.
3. Cook for 8 hours on low.
4. When it is cooked, shred it with two forks
5. Cut open the rolls and place the meat on the rolls.
6. Top with cheese, if desired.
7. Cook it until the cheese is melted- just a few minutes- in the oven.
8. Serve with a side of the broth mixture.

Source: http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/french-dip-sandwiches-crock-pot/

Try #1 - November 10, 2016

These were super yummy.  I love a good French dip.  I left out the cheese - in my opinion, a French dip sandwich should be naked and unashamed (except for the au jus, of course!).  I toasted the rolls in the oven before adding the meat.  Everyone loved these, and it was so easy to make.  Will definitely do this again!

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

2 lbs sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast, sliced thin
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 Tbsp. water
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
White rice, cooked

1. In the insert of the crockpot, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
2. Place slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours.
3. After 4 hours, whisk together cornstarch and water in small bowl. Pour into crock pot and stir to mix well. Add the broccoli and gently stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook 30 minutes to cook broccoli and thicken sauce.
4. Serve over warm white rice. Enjoy!

Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/iristian/this-slow-cooker-beef-and-broccoli-is-the-perfect-dinner-for?bffbtasty&utm_term=.duOXYnMjK#.bqZ19RXA8

Slow Cooker Asian Beef

1 2½ pound boneless bottom round beef roast

2 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 pound baby carrots or 1 pound carrots sliced
1 additional chopped green onion, optional
4 tablespoons chopped peanuts, optional

1. Place the beef roast in the bottom of a slow-cooker.
2. Slather the garlic, onions, hoisin sauce and soy sauce on both sides of the beef roast.
3. Add the beef and the baby carrots on the sides of the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 6-8 hours or until the beef falls apart using two forks.
5. Serve over cooked rice noodles, cooked rice or use fresh rolls to make sandwiches.  Garnish with green onions and peanuts, if desired

Source: http://familyfoodie.com/slow-cooker-asian-beef-recipe/

Try #1 - November 1, 2016

This was really good.  Really really good.  I followed the recipe as written, except I substituted 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water for the beef broth.  I will definitely make this again!

Pomegranate Beef in the Crockpot

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 pounds beef roast (chuck roast works)
4 garlic cloves (whole is fine, or you can chop them)
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup golden raisins

1. Use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. Swirl the olive oil into the bottom of the stoneware. Add the onion. Rub the spices on all sides of meat and add to the stoneware with the garlic, the whole can of tomatoes, pomegranate juice, vinegar, and syrup. Sprinkle the raisins on top.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 5. The meat is done when it has reached desired tenderness. Serve with mashed potatoes, and drizzle with the sauce.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 onion
1 large chicken

1. Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
2. Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
4. Put prepared chicken, breast-side down, on top of the onions in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on. There is no need to add any liquid.  Cook for 4-5 hours on high (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or 6-7 hours on low, or until the chicken is falling off the bone.

Source: 100 Days of Real Food

Try #1 - ??
This is very good, and easy!  I love fall-off-the-bone meat.

Peanut Butter Chicken in Crockpot

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut in chunks *
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky, your choice)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth

*Note: Double sauce for a whole chicken.

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your pot and add the peanut butter. 2. Toss in the vegetables and cumin. Squeeze in lime, and add soy sauce and chicken broth. Stir as well as you can to combine (the peanut butter will be clumpy, and that's just fine).

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - October 24, 2014
This was good, although I have to remember that with many crockpot recipes, they are better after they've sat for a little while.  In this case, this would have been better if I had turned off the heat and let it sit for a while to let the sauce thicken up.  It was definitely better as leftovers the next day.  I used drumsticks and thighs.  After we had eaten all the chicken, there was still quite a bit of sauce left so I froze the leftover sauce to serve over rice (and perhaps add some more chicken) for a future meal.

New England Clam Chowder

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and diced
1 (6.5-ounce) can minced clams, drained
5 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 cup sliced celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme (I used 8 sprigs fresh thyme)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken broth (I used fish broth)
2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream (I used 1 cup whole milk)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Brown the bacon on the stovetop, and drain the accumulated grease.
Put the bacon into your crockpot, and add clams. Add all the vegetables and spices and pour in the broth. Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the onion is translucent and the potatoes squish easily with a fork.
2. Use a hand-held stick blender and pulse a few times to naturally thicken the soup. Stir in half and half and shredded cheese. Ladle into wide-mouthed bowls or bread bowls.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - October 21, 2014
I made this with some leftover salmon Nathan had cooked over the weekend.  I omitted the bacon (and clams, since I was using salmon instead).  So I guess I should call this salmon chowder.  Either way, it was delicious!  A great use of leftover salmon.  I used the salmon bones to make the broth a day or two before I made this soup (just added water and some herbes de provence to the bones and cooked it in the crockpot for several hours).  There was quite a bit of salmon meat left on the bones so I picked it off and added that to the chowder.  I will definitely make this again!

General Tso Chicken in Crockpot

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut in 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 (16-ounce) package stir-fry vegetables (to add later)

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your crockpot and then add the garlic, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Toss the chicken to fully coat with the sauce ingredients.
2. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, then add the frozen vegetables. Re-cover and cook on high for an hour, or until the veggies are fully hot and the chicken has reached desired tenderness.
3. Serve with white or brown rice.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - October 16, 2014
This was pretty good, but not really General Tso Chicken. So as long as you don't expect what you might find in a Chinese restaurant, you should be happy. Really easy dinner. Instead of chopping chicken into pieces, I used whole boneless/skinless chicken thighs, and just broke it up into pieces at the end. I added a bag of frozen broccoli. Definitely needed a full hour on high to get the broccoli hot enough. The kids seemed to like it.

BBQ Ribs in Crockpot

5 lbs ribs
Salt and Pepper
1 onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups barbecue sauce (one bottle, or make your own)

1. Cut ribs into serving portions and lay on a broiler sheet in single layer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Brown ribs at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
2. Put ribs in bottom of slow cooker.  Add onions and garlic.  Pour barbecue sauce over top.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 4 to 6 hours.

Source: adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - July 15, 2014
This was awesome.  Maybe the first time I've ever cooked ribs... but won't be the last.  Nathan and the kids (and me too) gobbled it up!  I made my own barbecue sauce.  I served it with egg noodles and topped it with some of the sauce from the crockpot.  Mmmmmm.

Lima Bean Soup

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2013/03/slow-cooker-hearty-lima-bean-soup.html

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt (if desired, you can cut back on the salt by only using 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired, you can cut back on the pepper by only using ½ teaspoon of cayenne)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
2. Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
3. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the 2 pieces of pork and then pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
4. Turn the slow cooker on to low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
5. Serve warm with fixings like homemade cole slaw and cornbread. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

Source: 100 Days of Real Food

Try #1 - March 7, 2014
This was really good.  I made homemade buns and turned them into pulled pork sliders.  I served it with coleslaw.  Yum!

Mediterranean-Style Pot Roast

1 2- to 3-pound boneless beef check pot roast
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, undrained
1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried herbes de Provence, crushed
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese

1. Trim fat from meat.  In large skillet, brown meat on all sides in hot oil.  Drain off fat.  Set aside.
2. Place onions in slow cooker.  Add meat.  In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, olives, Worcestershire sauce, herbes de Provence, and pepper.  Pour over mixture in slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high-heat for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Remove meat from slow cooker.  Cut meat into 6 serving-size pieces.  Arrange meat on a serving platter.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to serving platter, reserving juices.  Spoon enough of the juices over meat and vegetables to moisten.  Sprinkle with feta cheese.  Serves 6.

Source: ??

Try #1 - January 5, 2013
I've had this recipe in my folder for over 5 years... and not tried it until now.  I have no idea where it came from, except I'm pretty sure I copied it down at Brady and Erin's old apartment.  First try was a good one - I cooked it on low for 8 or 9 hours, and the meat was so tender that it just fell apart.  Which is success, in my opinion.  I omitted the olives because I don't like olives, but I can see how that would have added to the dish.  I think it could have used some salt - maybe the olives would have provided some of the saltiness.  Overall a good dish.  I served it over mashed potatoes.

Sausage and Kale Stew with Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

1 lb sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed and broken into pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup water
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 small bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves torn (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for serving

1. Combine the sausage, onion, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, garlic, 1 cup water, and 3/4 tsp each salt and pepper in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.  Nestle potatoes in the liquid and top with the kale.
2. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.  Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl.  Add the milk, oil, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper to the bowl and mash.
3. Serve the stew topped with the mashed potatoes.  Drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.

Source: Real Simple magazine, November 2013

Try #1 - February 8, 2014
So, this was not as good as I had hoped.  The kale turned out pretty chewy, and there wasn't as much flavor as I would have liked.  I think I'll stick to some of my other kale and sausage recipes.

Slow Cooker Chile Verde

4 pound chuck roast, or pork shoulder/butt
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced chiles
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 tomatillos, diced (peel off the outer wrapper, if they have one)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons sage
1 Tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1. Trim any visible fat from the meat, and plop into your slow cooker stoneware. Add diced bell pepper and onion. If your tomatillos have the leafy-outer skin left on them, take the skin and stem off, and dice finely (use the pampered chef chopping thingy). 

2. Pour in the contents of the diced chile can and the tomato can. Add spices. Stir a bit to get the spices down the sides of the meat. Add chopped cilantro to the top.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, high for 6, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.

Serve with rice, corn tortillas, shredded cheese, refried beans, and a dollop of sour cream.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - August 2013
We got tomatillos in our CSA box and I had never cooked with them... but found this recipe and it was delicious!  It made a ton, so we ate it with rice etc. one night and then used the leftovers for enchiladas a couple of nights later.  Yum!

Greek Citrus-Honey Cake

1/2 cup olive oil (mild, or mix of mild and fruity), plus extra for greasing
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder (double-acting)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz (1 cup) plain yogurt (regular or low-fat)
2 tsp orange oil or 1 Tbsp orange extract
6 large eggs
1/2 cup slivered almonds, or pine nuts

Syrup:
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Grease bottom and sides of a 5-quart slow cooker insert with a small amount of olive oil.  Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom.  Set in the paper and grease it.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Separately combine the yogurt, olive oil, orange oil or extract, and eggs, beating with a wire whisk.  Pour the yogurt mixture into the bowl holding the dry mixture and combine until uniformly mixed.  Stir in the nuts.  Pour the batter into the slow cooker.
3. Lay a fold dishtowel across the top of the crock (covering the batter without touching it), cover with the lid, and cook on high 2 hours and 15 minutes, or until the edges turn brown and pull away slightly from the insert, and a wooden skewer poked in the center comes out clean.  Lift the insert (using potholders) out of the cooker and let it rest, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife or spatula.  Place a plate over the top and, holding it securely, flip the crock over, so the cake falls onto the plate.  Remove the parchment.  Let the cake cook slightly.
4. Stir the honey and lemon juice together until completely combined.  While the cake is warm, poke holes in the top with a fork, about 20 times.  Spoon the glaze over the top and sides, letting the glaze seep in slowly before adding more.  Serve in thin slices.

Source: Cooking Green

Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup

1 pound chicken
1 cup dried black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn
1 jar prepared salsa (16 oz)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup sour cream (to stir in at the end)
shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, cilantro (all optional)

1. Soak the black beans overnight in enough water to cover plus two inches.  In the morning, drain the water and rinse the beans.  Add to the crockpot.  Put in the chicken, and add the broth and salsa.  Pour in the corn and mushrooms and add the cumin.  Stir, but don't disturb the beans - let them stay at the bottom of the pot.

2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  (If you forgot to soak the beans, you can cook it on high for 9 hours).

3. To thicken the soup, blend a bit of the beans and chicken with an immersion blender, if desired.

4. Remove the lid and let stand for 10 minutes.  Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream, and garnish with shredded cheese and avocado slices.

 Source: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/salsa-chicken-and-black-bean-soup.html

Try #1 - May 2013
This was a hit!  It was turned out a really gross brown-gray color, but it was a hit!  I was afraid the salsa would be too spicy for the kids but it was fine.  Nathan really liked it.  We served it with tortilla chips as well.  Mmmmmm............

Tiny French Beans with Smoked Sausage

2 lbs smoked sausage, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dried flageolets or other dried white beans (about 1 pound)
2 cups water
1/4 cup minced fresh or 1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 (14-oz) cans chicken broth
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add sausage, saute 5 minutes or until browned.  Remove from pan; place in a 5-qt slow cooker.  Heat oil in pan over medium heat.  Add shallots and garlic; saute 1 minute.
2. Sort and wash beans.  Add beans, shallot mixture, water, thyme, celery seeds, pepper, and chicken broth to cooker.  Cover and cook on HIGH 8 hours or until beans are tender.  Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Note: Soaking beans overnight will yield a much faster cook time.

Source: "Cooking Light Slow Cooker"

Try #1 - April 15, 2013
This was good... and has the potential to be even better.  I used chicken apple sausage from Trader Joe's, which was ok, but next time I will definitely use a more flavorful sausage, probably beef.  Also, I didn't have any chicken broth so I substituted water.  I think the broth would have given it a richer flavor (plus I ended up needing to add some salt).  But the fresh thyme was delicious, and it was a hearty stew, great served with fresh bread.  I soaked the beans overnight and cooked it for about 4 hours on HIGH and then 2 hours on LOW.  I also used only 12 oz instead of 2 lbs of sausage... which I think was plenty.