I am so proud that I cooked dinner EVERY single night last week! That usually doesn’t happen the first week of school. I still dragged home every night, exhausted and cranky, but I was able to add a few things to what had cooked all day in the crock pot and dinner was served!

If you’d like links to the meals that I made last week, here they are:

I also made a Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice – and it was delicious, but it wasn’t pretty because it cooked too long. It was my own fault. I forgot to text Michael and ask him to turn it off at a certain time and it overcooked. The rice was absolute moosh. I will make it again so I can blog it with pretty pictures!

Tonight’s slow cooker dinner was delicious!

My tribe loves Alfredo. I make it often. Chicken Alfredo, portabello Alfredo, chicken and broccoli Alfredo…I make a lot of Alfredo!

I am not an Alfredo snob. I love all kinds of Alfredo – jarred and homemade. Yes, I prefer homemade, but that’s not always practical. I like to keep several jars of Alfredo in my pantry because my kids love to make it.

I used jarred Alfredo today.

It is heavenly.

Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Florentine

Ingredients:

  • 3 large chicken breasts
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 16-oz. jars of Alfredo sauce
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 2 10-oz. bags of frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 pound of penne pasta, cooked to aldente
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions:

  • Place chicken breasts into the bottom of a large slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour in the water.
  • Cook all day on low.
  • At the end of the cooking time, shred the chicken breasts and leave in the liquid in the slow cooker.
  • Place a stock pot full of water on the stove top and heat on high.
  • Add both jars of Alfredo. Pour 1/2 cup of milk into each jar, tightly screw on the lids and shake vigorously. Pour into the slow cooker, add frozen spinach, and stir well to combine.
  • When water on stove is boiling, add a tablespoon of salt and pour in the dry penne. Cook according to directions, but cook one minute less than called for.
  • When pasta is cooked, remove 1 cup of pasta water and then drain the rest of the pot. Add pasta and pasta water to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
  • Add more salt to taste.
  • Garnish with fresh Parmesan, if desired.

Well Duh #1: I used two bags of spinach because my tribe loves spinach. If you’re not a spinach fiend, use one bag. If green things frighten you, leave the spinach out and you’ll just have chicken Alfredo. Just do you!

Well Duh #2: Use your favorite Alfredo. I had Great Value Alfredo in the pantry, so that’s what I used.

Well Duh #3: Use whatever milk you have – as long as it’s not like sweetened vanilla, because…gross. I used almond milk because that’s what we had.

Well Duh #4: Of course, you can use grated Parmesan, if you want. I happened to have a wedge of Parm in my fridge, so I just grated some over the top.

Well Duh #5: PLEASE taste for salt before serving. You will be sad if you don’t.

This was loved by the tribe. Everybody ate a big bowl for dinner and there was a bunch left over for lunches for me and Elizabeth!

I have more slow cooker recipes planned for the rest of the week – and for a few weeks to come until back-to-school stuff chills out! I know that I will adjust and won’t be as tired after a while, but for now, I am so tired!

What do you cook in the weeks after school starts? Do you have certain recipes that you make when you’re exhausted? Leave me a note in the comments and let me know how you survive the tough times!