Slow-cooker turkey breast with gravy

Every Thanksgiving I buy a huge turkey, rub it with butter and herbs, put it in the oven and hope for the best. Usually it ends up being okay. Not fantastic, nothing worth sharing the recipe. Just okay.

Since Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, I start thinking about dishes waaaay in advance. It's insane how much thought I give to my food. So I've been tinkering, trying to find some good turkey recipes that will have me closing my eyes and stomping my feet like, "Yes! Yes! This is finger-licking good!"

While I think I found it. It's similar to a recent recipe I posted, but just different enough to feel like you stumbled onto something brand new.

Thanksgiving-worthy slow-roasted turkey breast

3 pound boneless turkey breast (I used Honeysuckle White)
1 2 oz. packet of savory herb seasoning (dry soup mix) (I used Lipton)
3 cups turkey stock (or enough to almost cover the turkey)
1 can of turkey gravy

1. Put the turkey breast in the slow cooker and sprinkle half of the seasoning on top. Pour the turkey stock AROUND the breast, not directly on it.
2. Put the lid on and cook it on low for 3 hours. Turn the slow cooker off. Add the turkey gravy and let it soak into the turkey for 20-25 minutes. Taste to see if you need to add more seasonings.

I feel horrible, because this dish was gone so fast I didn't have time to snap pictures. But after you try it, you'll see why!

Onion soup mix - why didn't I know?

Okay, so call me slow, but I never knew onion soup mix could be used in so many different ways for cooking. Man, is it delicious!

I used it last week on this boneless chuck roast I bought. Oh so good! Check the recipe below.

Easy as pie beef roast

2 pounds boneless chuck roast
1 packet (2 oz) onion soup mix
1 cup water

1. Place to roast in a slow cooker or baking dish. Sprinkle with onion soup mix and pour the water around the roast. If cooking it in the oven, put the oven on 225 degrees. Bake for 4 hours.
2. If using the slow cooker, put it on low and cook for 3.5 hours.

And then you're done! Amazing, right?

Come with me to the 1960s

When my hubby and I got married last summer, we had a ton of gifts that I thought we'd never use. A breadmaker (thanks Auntie), some really, um, unique serving platters and a slow cooker.

Oh my goodness, that slow cooker has changed my life.

Now, I chop up some veggies at night, put them in the slow cooker in the morning, add a little broth or stock on top of an inexpensive cut of meat, press the button and go. When I come home, the food is delicious and ready to go.

Especially when cooking meat, this thing is genius! Prior to using this, I couldn't get my daughter to eat meat. She had a hard time chewing it. But whenever I give her meat from the slow-cooker, it's so tender she just gobbles it down. (Listen to me sounding like I should be on the infomerical.)

Some tidbits, though:
1) Make sure you put any veggies at the bottom, or add enough liquid to cover them. Otherwise, they won't be tender.
2)Add a bit more liquid than you think you'll need, especially if you plan on letting it cook for 8+ hours.
3)If I'm cooking beef, I like to add a bit of either tomato paste or steak sauce just to give it a bit more flavor and a thicker consistency. It will make the best pot roast or ribs you have ever eaten. So so good. (Make sure you cook it for at least 7 hours, though.)
4) If I'm cooking chicken, I like to have it on for no more than 4 hours. I find (and this might just be my slow-cooker) that it'll taste like a dishrag if you cook it for longer than that. No seriously.
5) Resist the urge to lift the lid. Just don't. You'll let out all the steam. That's not good.

If you're a little hesitant about using it, try it on a weekend first and see how long it takes for your favorite meal to cook.

I use this Crock-Pot from Rival. I love, love, love it - can't do without it!

Here's a site that rates slow cookers for you and you can pick the one that best suits your needs.

Have a slow cooker? Use it a lot or is it covered in dust? Let me know!