Kitchen Adventures 20.3

When I first purchased my slow cooker several years ago, I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I grew up with my mom making dinner for the entire family in her slow cooker. I was just cooking for myself, so I wasn't quite sure where to start when looking for recipes that didn't feed an army. One year for Christmas my mom got me a little checkout stand cookbook full of great slow cooker recipes. The first one I tried was this recipe, which I still go back to for a quick and easy dinner.

A note about this one: make sure you watch it. Try to select chicken breasts that are of similar size and thickness so cooking is even. This last time they ended up pretty crunchy and dry because I was not paying close enough attention. When it smells done, it's done! Usually I pair this with some kind of green veggie, either a salad, green beans, or peas.

This came from PreventionGuide Slow Cooker Recipe Book.

Breaded Dijon Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

1 c. dried bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence (I just use Italian seasoned bread crumbs or threw in Italian seasoning)
1/2 tsp. paprika
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 lb. total)
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1 T. olive oil
1/4 c. chicken broth

Directions:

1. Combine the bread crumbs, herbs, and paprika in a shallow bowl.
2. On wax paper, cover each chicken breast with mustard and then dip into the bread crumbs mixture, covering completely. Shake off excess crumbs.
3. Coat the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray and place the chicken in a single layer over the bottom of the slow cooker. Drizzle with oil and add the chicken broth.
4. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. (I usually cook this on high 2 to 4 hours.)

Kitchen Adventures 20.2

During the winter months, I try to use my slow cooker on a fairly regular basis. I guess I should really use it more during the summer to cut down on heating from the oven; I'll have to try that this summer! I am fortunate to have a great slow cooker and many cookbooks to choose from when trying to decide what to make each week.  It's always interesting to find a recipe that would not normally be made in a slow cooker and try it this way. That's what this recipe is all about.

Chicken and dumplings just sounds like something a grandmother would make, right? The name alone conjures up images of home cooking and love in every bite. Well, I don't know that these had love in every bite, but it was interesting to make this in a slow cooker! I was wary to try it since my boyfriend had already vetoed dumplings (texture thing) but I tried it anyway. He said it was ok, which to me meant it was a success.

This recipe came from 3 Books in 1 Rival Crock-Pot, specifically the Winning Slow Cooker Recipes section.

Like Grandma's Chicken 'N Dumplings

Ingredients:

2 c. cooked chicken
1 10.75-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
2 soup cans water
4 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 count)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except biscuits in slow cooker. Cut biscuits into quarters and gently stir into mixture. Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours.

Kitchen Adventures 20.1

Wow, I knew it had been awhile since I posted, but almost five months is longer than I thought! Life did get busy the first part of this year, with writing an article (set to be published this summer!) and life in general. All is going well, and after several inquiries regarding this blog, I'm back at it. Hopefully I will be better at consistency, but I've said that before!

Five months of cooking is a lot to cover, but as I look back through my cooking efforts for the first part of 2012, I don't actually have that many new recipes to share. I made several dishes I have already sharedh ere, and quite frankly I have forgotten some of the things I made! The really good ones, though, are fresh in my memory.

This first recipe is a dish I made back in January. During the colder months, this was perfect. Now, with the temperatures in the high 80s, not so much. Still, it was delicious and I highly recommend it.

This recipe came from Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 c. ketchup
2/3 c. bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 c. bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped (I omitted this)
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 lbs. new red potatoes
3/4 c. heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs, and pickles in a large bowl; mix in the onions. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese, and stir together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and mold into a 4" x 12" loaf. Bake until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees, about 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, halve the potatoes and place them in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch. Bring this to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot, mashing them with the heavy cream. I also seasoned the potatoes with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before serving with the mashed potatoes.