If you're anything like me, by the time Wednesday rolls around I'm so ready for the weekend, and the last thing I want to think about is what we're going to have for dinner.  I just want dinner to be as simple as possible.  So tonight's dinner is a crockpot/slow cooker meal. 

In my opinion, crockpots/slow cookers are one of the best appliances you can have in your kitchen.  Especially since most of them have timers you can set so you don't have to worry about whether or not you'll get home in time to turn it off before your food burns.  Plus, crockpot/slow cooker meals are usually a one-pot meal which is great for me because I hate washing dishes!

Tonight's dinner is a recipe I recreated based on a recipe I found in one of my vegetarian cookbooks.  It's an Italian Potato "Stew" and it couldn't be easier to make!



Italian Potato "Stew":

1 oz. package dried porcini mushrooms
6 medium red potatoes, washed and quartered
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups jarred marinara sauce
1 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Basil

Soak the porcini mushrooms in a large bowl of water for 20 - 30 minutes or until softened.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the softened mushrooms from the water.

Pour the potatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, garlic, wine and marinara sauce into the crockpot/slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or until the potatoes are tender.  Before serving, add the Kalamata olives and the salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking for another 20 - 30 minutes.

Drizzle each serving with EVOO and chopped basil or you can use 1/4 teaspoon of Gourmet Gardens Basil Paste which is what I used instead of fresh basil.