My neighbor shared this recipe from her Amish heritage and now I make it weekly. So creamy and fresh for warm weather dinners.

This Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Amish Chive Cream Noodles recipe came to me from my neighbor, who grew up in an Amish community. She told me they’d make simple, comforting noodle dishes like this when the weather warmed up and no one wanted to stand over a hot stove. Everything gets creamy and silky in the slow cooker, and the fresh chives at the end keep it light and bright instead of heavy. It’s one of those hardly-any-ingredients, dump-and-go meals that feels like a cozy hug but still works on a busy weeknight.

These noodles are lovely on their own in a big bowl, but I usually treat them as a simple main or hearty side. Pair them with grilled or roasted chicken, pork chops, or a skillet of smoked sausage for protein. For warm-weather dinners, I like a crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette, sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper, or steamed green beans on the side to cut through the richness. A side of buttered peas or roasted asparagus also works really well with the creamy sauce and fresh chives.

Servings: 4

8 oz wide egg noodles (dried)

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little butter or nonstick spray to help keep the noodles from sticking around the edges.

Pour the whole milk into the slow cooker. Add the butter pieces, scattering them over the milk so they can melt evenly as the slow cooker heats up.

Cover and cook the milk and butter mixture on LOW for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the butter is fully melted and the milk is warm and steamy but not boiling. This gentle heat helps the noodles cook more evenly later.

Stir the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the dried egg noodles. Press the noodles down gently with a spoon so they are mostly submerged in the liquid. It’s okay if a few ends are poking out; they will soften as they cook.

Cover and cook on LOW for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring gently every 15 to 20 minutes if you’re home. This keeps the noodles from clumping and helps them cook evenly. The noodles are done when they are tender and the sauce has thickened and turned silky and creamy.

If the sauce looks too thin when the noodles are tender, turn the slow cooker to WARM, leave the lid slightly vented, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. The noodles will absorb a bit more liquid and the sauce will thicken. If it looks too thick, stir in a splash of extra warm milk until it’s as creamy as you like.

Once the noodles are cooked to your liking, turn the slow cooker to WARM. Stir in the finely chopped fresh chives, reserving a pinch or two for garnish. Taste and add a small pinch of salt if needed, depending on how salty your butter is.

Spoon the creamy chive noodles onto plates or into shallow bowls. Sprinkle with the reserved fresh chives right before serving so the bright green color pops against the pale cream sauce. Serve immediately while the noodles are glossy and the sauce is silky.

You can tweak this simple Amish-style noodle dish a few different ways while still keeping it easy. For extra richness, stir in 1/4 to 1/3 cup heavy cream at the very end of cooking with the chives. If you prefer a little more body to the sauce, whisk 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold milk, then stir that slurry into the warm milk and butter before adding the noodles; let it cook until slightly thickened, then add the noodles as directed. To add protein without changing the spirit of the recipe too much, fold in 1 to 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken or diced ham during the last 10 minutes of cooking so it warms through without drying out. You can also swap in a mix of fresh herbs if you don’t have enough chives—try a combo of chives and flat-leaf parsley or a little dill for a brighter, garden-fresh flavor. For meal prep, chop the chives and portion out the noodles the night before; store the chives in an airtight container or bag in the fridge and keep the noodles dry at room temperature. Food safety tips: Because this recipe uses milk in the slow cooker, always cook on LOW, not on the WARM setting, so the milk reaches a safe temperature. Do not leave the cooked noodles at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Cool leftovers quickly and store them in a shallow container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce, stirring often so it doesn’t scorch. Discard leftovers if they develop an off smell, flavor, or appearance.