Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

Since I went full-time at my practicum in June, I have been all about crock pot meals. This one is a favorite and one that I like to make on Sunday afternoons. I love how good our house smells when we walk in the door after church. I like to serve a yummy salad and garlic naan or grilled pita with olive oil and garlic with this meal.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

•  1 cup of brown rice
• 2 cups of water
• A handful of baby carrots, cut into thirds
• 2 potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 zucchini
• 1 15-oz. can of garbonzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped onion
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2-3 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. ground corriander
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 14-oz. can or vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 14-oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained 
• cashews
• Shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
• lemon pepper

You could cook your rice separately but I throw mine in the crock pot with everything else, adding the water for the rice (ingredient number two on the list).  You could also replace the water with broth. Then add everything else and cook on high for 3.5-4.5 hours. Before serving, sprinkle with lemon pepper, cashews, and cheese.

While this is a vegetarian dish, you could easily add some chicken, or cook some up and have it separately. Whatever you do, don't put your hot crock pot on your table with only a thin towel under it. It will ruin your table and you will be grumpy. Enjoy!

Chicken Tacos

I got this from my friend Marci's blog and had to share.

Shredded Chicken

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (I use the low fat kind)

1 T. Chili Powder

1 T. Cumin

3 cloves garlic

5 lbs. Chicken (I used 4 chicken breasts and just lessened the rest of the ingredients by a tiny bit...ie) 2 cloves of garlic, 3/4 T. of chili powder, etc.)

Cook all together in a crock-pot for 4 hours ( a couple more if chicken is frozen). Shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Then I took a corn tortilla, put it on my George Foreman grill, and put some chicken and some cheese on it. I covered it with another tortilla and closed the lid for a bit. Then I put a little sour cream (or you can use plain non-fat yogurt), avocado, tomatoes and cheese on it (and sometimes I also add some red onion). You could also put everything in the shell and roll it up, like traditional tacos.

This is now one of my husband's favorite meals. Even I liked the chicken (and I usually don't care much for chicken). It has a really good flavor and it's so easy to make. Try it tonight!

Jason's Chilicious

First of all, I don't know who Jason is, but he makes some good chili. Here's what you need:

2 tbsp olive oil
3 c cooked, shredded chicken
2 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can of chopped green chilies
juice of 1-2 limes
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 cans of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cans of chicken (or vegetable) broth
1/2 c chopped cilantro, plus a little more for garnish
1 1/2 c frozen corn
hot sauce (optional)
shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
lime wedges
tortilla chips

Directions
Cook chicken breasts, cool, and shred by hand. (I cooked mine in a crock pot with a little water and taco seasoning on low for about four hours.)

Chop onions. Saute in pan with green chilies until soft. Add garlic, saute for a few minutes. Add dry spices, stirring until distributed evenly.

Add chicken broth, beans, corn, cilantro, and chicken. Add hot sauce if the chili powder didn't make it spicy enough for you (I added some Tabasco sauce to mine).

Simmer gently for a few hours. Toss in a handful of cheese. Add a bit of cilantro and a little more lime juice right before serving.

Serve with Jack Cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, and tortilla chips (and we had a little sour cream with ours as well).

If you want a pdf version you can print, click here.

Recipe compliments of Cathy Zielske.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

I highly recommend you make this. We give it five stars in our house. It has such a good flavor. I made it twice in one week (granted it was for someone else the first time, but this dish makes a lot so there was plenty for us too. Yum!)

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumble.

[ directions ]

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

*Recipe compliments of Becky Higgins.