Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

I've been meaning to post this recipe for a few weeks.  Victor and I love mushrooms, so any time I can hide it in a recipe I will.  Samantha usually catches on about half way through the meal.  Then I tell her, "You've been eating them all along, so you might as well finish them up." 

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - printable version

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green, red or yellow pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless chicken pieces (breasts, tenders, thighs etc.)
1 cube (1 tsp.) chicken bouillon
1 cup water
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can undrained diced tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

Yield - 6 servings

1. Combine mushrooms, celery, carrots, onion, peppers, and garlic in a slow cooker.
2. Place chicken pieces on top of vegetables.
3. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over top of chicken.
4. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
5. Break up chicken pieces with a wooden spoon before serving.
6. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.

If you can find find frozen mirepoix (celery, carrots and onions) blend, frozen onions and peppers blend, or frozen onions, you can subsitute those for some or all of the equivalent veggies.  I have all three on hand in my freezer at all times which saves me a ton of time on preparation.  Or next time you are chopping up any of those ingredients, chop up some extra and freeze 1 to 2 cup portions in individual freezer bags.

Thanks for playing!
Jan

Slow Cooker Chicken & Butternut Ragout

Last week I was trying to use up some vegetables that I'd received in my Bountiful Baskets order and was struggling to come up with a good use for the butternut squash.  I came up with this recipe to use it like a potato in the slow cooker. It was really easy and quite delicious!

I love butternut squash and so does Victor.  But my girls?  I didn't even dare say the word squash or they think they won't like it.  I don't know why, but I was the same way as a kid.  Samantha came down on Sunday morning and saw me cutting up the big thing. 

"What's that, Mom?" she asked.

"It's Butternut!" I promptly replied

We referred to it as Butternut instead of Butternut Squash throughout the preparation and the eating.  And you know what?  They ate up every bite of it's delicious goodness!  Sometimes it's all in a name!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Butternut Ragout - printable version

1 pound boneless chicken pieces (breast, tenders, thigh, etc.)
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seedded and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 (28 ounce) can of baked beans with onions (if using regular baked beans add 1/2 cup chopped onion)
1 (14.5 ounce) can undrained diced tomatoes (chili or italian style)

Yield - 6 servings

1. Mix all ingredients in a large crock pot, placing chicken breasts on top.
2. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
3. Break up chicken pieces with a wooden spoon before serving.
4. Serve in soup bowls with bread or biscuits.

And that's it!  Only four ingredients that I happened to have in the pantry and freezer.  I love that kind of Sunday morning recipe!  We will definitely be having this the next time we get a "butternut" and I know the kids will be excited!  If you don't have one, you could probably substitute potatoes in it's place or perhaps another kind of squash.  Just don't tell the kids!

Thanks for playing!
Jan

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew

Having church at 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday makes for a very hungry family when we finally get home around 5:30.  I've been resorting to the crock pot for meals and we are absolutely loving it!  Yesterday we had a mock chicken pot pie that was to die for.  I know if the girls finish their meals at the same time Victor and I do (and without any coaching) then it was a good one.  And if they ask for more? A really good one!  Both of those things happened yesterday, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you today.

I've been known to make a pretty good chicken pot pie in my day.  I don't do it very often because my recipe is a bit on the labor intensive side.  For this crock pot version, I decided to simplify it a bit and use canned cream of chicken soup with milk and sour cream rather than making a white sauce.  This would make a great freezer or "once a month cooking" recipe.  Just mix all the ingredients except for the chicken and pour into a gallon freezer bag.  Freeze the chicken seperately and store together.   Then on the day you want to eat it, just thaw, place it in your slow cooker with chicken and cook as directed.

We served this over "Home Storage Biscuits" (recipe below). There was enough left over for Victor to take for lunch today and for Hailey and I at home, too.   Served over the biscuits, it really does taste just like chicken pot pie!  I'm just sorry that it all was eaten before I remembered to take a picture of it.

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew - printable version


1-1/2 cups Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 (8 ounce) package baby carrots
1 cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables
1 (26 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cubes (2 tsp.) chicken bouillon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. celery salt (or regular salt)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2-3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Yield - 6 servings

1. Mix all ingredients in a large crock pot, placing chicken breasts on top.
2. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
3. Break up chicken pieces with a wooden spoon before serving.
4. Serve over split biscuits.

Okay, now for those biscuits.  I buy "Pancake and Waffle Mix" in bulk at the LDS Family Home Storage Center.  If you want to know if there's one in your area, check out this list of locations.  Anyway, there's no recipe on the package for anything but pancakes and waffles.  I didn't want to have to buy another mix for biscuits, so I came up with this recipe for biscuits to make from the mix.  This will work for any pancake mix, really.

Home Storage Biscuits - printable version

2 1/2 cups pancake mix (any brand)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter
1 egg

Yield - About 9 biscuits

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients until a soft dough forms.
3. To make Drop Biscuits: Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. To make Cut Biscuits: On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a 2-1/2 inch biscuit cutter.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just beginning to brown.

I love having a versatile mix around.  I think I'll need to come up with some more recipes for it!

I've got some more slow cooker recipes that I'm working on.  I'll share them another day.  Hopefully, this one will get you inspired to try it!

Thanks for playing!
Jan