STEWED CHICKEN

1 (approx 4 lb)stewing chicken, cut up 

4 stalks celery with leaves, cut up
4 cups water
1 small yellow onion, sliced
2 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp celery salt

Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker or crock-pot. Cover the pot and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Remove the chicken from the pot. Pour the chicken broth through a strainer and store in the refrigerator in a covered container. Allow to chill. As soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Store chicken in another covered container in the refrigerator to use as needed.

Yield: This will give you about 4 cups cooked chicken and 4 cups chicken broth to use in recipes as you desire.

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GARLIC CHICKEN

1 (large) chicken, cut up

1 cup (packed) brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda, ie 7 UP or Sprite

3 tbsp (less if desired) minced garlic

2 tbsp lite soy sauce

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Place chicken pieces in the crock pot or slow cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients in a bow, stirring to blend well; pour over the chicken.

Place lid on cooker and cook 6 to 8 hours on low.

If you wish to thicken juices to use as a gravy/sauce, mix a small amount of cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Remove chicken from cooker and stir cornstarch mixture into the liquid until smooth.

file photo.

MEDITERRANEAN FISH SOUP

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-oz) whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
2 cans (14-oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (8-oz) tomato saue
1 jar (2.5-oz) sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup ripe olives, sliced
1/2 cup orange juice
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed fennel seed
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled

Place all ingredients, except shrimp, in a crock pot or slow cooker; stir to blend. Place lid on cooker and cook on low 4 to 5 hours until the veggies are crisp tender. Stir in shrimp, replace lid and cook another 15 to 30 minutes until the shrimp are opaque.

Remove the bay leaves and discard before serving.

If you prefer a heartier soup, add 1 lb whitefish or cod cut into 1-inch pieces. Add about 45 minutes before serving time.

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BLACK BEAN AND POTATO SOUP

 

1 can (16-oz) black beans, drained

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 lb cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
6 cups defatted beef broth
1/4 cup dried chopped onion
1 can (4-oz) chopped jalapeno peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Sour cream for garnish, if desired
Chopped tomatoes for garnish, if desired

Combine the beans, potatoes, ham, broth, onions, peppers, garlic, and spices in the crock pot. Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting 8 to 10 hours or high setting 4 to 5 hours. When serving, garnish with the sour cream and/or tomatoes, if desired.

Yield: 6-8 servings

This is a file photo, not exactly this recipe.

SNICKERS BREAD PUDDING

1 3/4  cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 cups torn firm white whole-wheat bread

1 cup chopped Snickers candy bars

Caramel topping

Additional chopped Snickers candy bars

 

In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Stir in bread and Snickers. Pour into a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker that has been lightly sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray.

Place lid on cooker and cook on LOW setting 2 hours, or until center is set but is still jiggly. To serve, dip into serving dishes and top with caramel topping and the additional chopped Snickers.

Note: This is my version of an old Mr. Foods recipe.

PORK ROAST WITH ONIONS AND POTATOES

This recipe requires a 4-quart slow cooker for best results.

Approximately 3 lb boneless pork loin roast, trim off fat
1 large garlic clove, sliced
5 medium potatoes, washed, cubed, unpeeled
1 large onion, sliced
3/4 cup water (or tomato juice, if desired)
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water

Make slits in roast in insert slices of garlic. Place roast under broiler to brown. Put potatoes in slow cooker. Add 1/2 the onion slices. Place roast atop vegetables and cover with remaining onions. Combine water or juice with soy sauce and pour over roast. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low about 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove roast and vegetables from cooker. Combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to the liquid in the slow cooker. Turn cooker to high until liquid is thickened. Slice meat and serve thickened liquid over the meat and vegetables.

This recipe has a few more protein grams than carbs so it is excellent for diabetics who want to enjoy some good old "meat and potatoes".

SMOKEY BARBECUE SPARERIBS

3 to 4 lbs spareribs

salt and pepper to taste
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 bottle (16-oz) smoky barbecue sauce*

Sprinkle the ribs with the salt and pepper. Place ribs on broiler pan in oven and brown on both sides. Remove any excess fat.

Place the sliced onion in the bottom of the crock-pot or slow cooker. Slice ribs into serving size pieces and place over the onion. Pour barbecue sauce over all.

Add lid to cooker and cook ribs on low setting for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5hours.

*Or 2 cups of your favorite homemade sauce.

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GREEK-STYLE CHICKEN

 

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 lemon,thinly sliced
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Hot cooked orzo or rice to serve 4 to 6

Remove fat from chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides then place in  a crock-pot.

Add broth, lemon, olives, garlic, and oregano to the crock-pot. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or until chicken is tender.

Serve chicken with the rice or orzo.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
This is a crock-pot recipe and photo.

file photo

APRICOT GLAZED BABY CARROTS WITH ONION

 

2 bags (16-oz each) baby carrots

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half lengthwise then sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Place carrots and onion in a slow cooker; sprinkle with the salt.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low approximately 9 hours.

Discard the liquid that is in the cooker.

In a small bowl, combine the honey and preserves; pour over the carrots in the cooker.

Turn heat to high and cook another 10 to 15 minutes until hot.

Sprinkle with the parsley before servings.

Note: Carrots will be okay to stay in cooker on low or keep warm for up to two hours.

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PORK RAMEN NOODLE SOUP

1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (14-oz) chop suey vegetables, drained
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 packet (3-oz) Ramen chicken noodle soup
5 cups water
1 lb thick bone-in pork chop
cooking spray

Spray the inside of a slow cooker (4-qt works best) with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the mushrooms, vegetables, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, seasoning packet from the soup and the water into the slow cooker; stir to mix together. Place pork chops into the cooker.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove chops from the cooker to a cutting board. Using two forks, break the meat into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Return the meat to the cooker.

Break the Ramen noodles into small pieces and stir into the cooker. Cook on low about 10 minutes more or until the noodles are tender.

Yield: 6 servings

the file photo