My Crock-pot officially bit the dust.  The first week I bought it (more than a year ago), the handles from the side broke off, and the knob to pull the lid off also broke off.  I kept it though, and 6 months later, the ceramic pot got a huge crack down the center.  I still kept it and used an oven bag to line the crock-pot every time I used it.  Then, a few days ago, it no longer would turn on! Booooo.  I thought I'd never buy another Crock-Pot brand again, but then Costco had a sale.  A new Crock-pot for $29, and it came with a little "Mini-dipper".  Like a little baby crockpot for warming up dips and such.  I just loved the idea, so I bought it.

The first thing I cooked in my new Crock-Pot was some creamy chicken soup!!  It turned out great and there is literally no leftovers!

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bunch baby spinach leaves (4-5 cups after it's chopped)
• 4 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 package ranch dressing mix (dry seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 cups evaporated milk (or one 15 ounce can)

Cook two pounds of chicken in boiling water for 20-30 minutes.  Shred the chicken after it's cooked and set aside.

Turn empty slow cooker on till it heats up.  When pot is hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add all vegetables and stir in hot pot for 3-5 minutes. Put lid on and let it simmer for 5 more minutes.

Take lid off and add cooked chicken, broth and ranch dressing and cook on high for 3-4 hours.  Combine corn starch, water, and evaporated milk in a small bowl, and pour over soup in crock-pot.  Put lid back on and cook on low for one more hour.

Garnish with light sour cream or cheese and serve with whole wheat rolls.

Add all vegetables and heat in a hot pot	Add broth and chicken to veggies and cook for several hours

I love the addition of spinach to this soup. My kids did not complain. I think they barely realized it was there.

Spinach is a great food to include in your families diet.

• Spinach helps protect the lining of the digestive tract and contains anti-inflammatory properties.
• Spinach is rich in vitamin K (1110% of the daily value for 1 cup)
• Spinach is high in vitamin A (377% daily value for 1 cup)
• Popeye ate it to be strong!

Happenings this weekend! In case you missed it, we have three giveaways happening right now!  5 Meal passes to Sweet Tomatoes/ Souplantaion, $100 to Cooking.com, and a great new book, MyPlate for Moms!