“Nothing awakens reminiscence like an aroma.” ~ Victor Hugo

June 27, 2016June 27, 2016Leave a comment

There are several reasons I love a crockpot.

First of all, the ease of making dinner and second how it fills your house with a fabulous aroma. Makes me look forward to dinner all day long. Another reason is pretty easy clean up – especially if you use those handy little crockpot liners.

This meal was no exception.

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

1 lb chicken breasts (if they are particularly large, I cut them in half)
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
salt/pepper
Prepared Rice (I prefer Jasmine Rice)

Season chicken with salt and pepper then place in crockpot.

Add in mushrooms and garlic. Top with Marsala wine.

Cook on low for 5 hours.

In a bowl, make a slurry with the water and cornstarch by mixing together until dissloved. Remove chicken from crockpot and pour in slurry, stirring to combine. Place chicken back in crockpot and turn up to high and cook for an addition 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve over rice.

-abp

“Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.” ~ Jules Renard

October 22, 2014Leave a comment

I love Chicken and Dumplings.

I made them homemade from scratch, once.

And that will probably be the only time.

Don’t get me wrong they were fantastic and no, the shortcut versions will never be a good but if I ever want to have them again anytime soon – it will have to be a shortcut version.

Or I can go to Cracker Barrel.

This is very, very good alternative and it’s made in the crockpot to boot!

Lazy Day Chicken n’ Dumplings

(adapted from All Things Delicious)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. butter
2 (10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1/2 onion, diced OR you can use 2 Tbsp. dried, diced onion (I used fresh)
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
4 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits

Place chicken in crockpot and plop the butter on top of the chicken. Add cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Followed by onion and parsley. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours. After the chicken is cooked, shred it and put it back into the soup. Cut each biscuit into 9 pieces. Gently stir biscuits into soup. Cook for another 45 minutes on low.

I definitely recommend this shortcut recipe for those lazy fall days that are perfect for comfort food! Granted, it doesn’t look like traditional Chicken n’ Dumplings but it sure does taste like them!

-abp

“For me, the magic of Hawaii comes from the stillness, the sea, the stars.” ~ Joanne Harris

February 26, 2014Leave a comment

Ugh, another cold, cold dreary day.

It is time for you to leave, Old Man Winter. You have overstayed your welcome.

On days like these, I can’t help but think about nice, sunny, warm days at the beach and today my mind is on this particular beach.

Hanauma Bay in Honolulu.

What a fabulous day this was…….

So in honor of this day in my memory we are having Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken.

If only it could take me back!

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

(adapted from Chef-in-Training)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 small can pineapple chunks, drained

Mix all ingredients except pineapple chunks and cook in crock pot on low for 6 hours. Add the pineapple chunks in for the last 20 minutes of cooking. Remove chicken, shred and return to pot.

Serve over rice.

Aloha!

-abp

“A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning.” ~ Pat Riley

January 8, 201360 Comments

It’s a good day to be an Alabama fan! Whoot, Whoot! Rooooolllll Tide!

BACK to BACK championships! The 3rd in 4 years! And being the wife of an Auburn fan, I must add it is the 4th in a row for the state of Alabama with AU taking the other of the four.

We are the football state if you ask me.

But I am pooped – I was up way past my bedtime watching that game. So tonight is an easy dinner night, which usually means a crockpot dinner. And tonight that crockpot dinner is a very flavorful pork roast I found on allrecipes.com.

Yummo Pork Roast

1 (2 pound) pork roast
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup beef stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce
black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced garlic

Place pork roast in slow cooker and top with onion soup and water.

Add in beef stock and soy sauce. Mix well and turn to coat.

Top with minced garlic. Spread over top of roast.

Cook on high for 5 hours. (about 4 hours in start basting a little with the sauce and with with about 10 minutes left flip and mix in the garlic)

Remove roast from cooker. Slice pork and serve with sauce.

I served it with refrigerated mashed pototoes (I like Bob Evans) and a bagged salad.

Doesn’t get much easier than that!

Roll Tide.

abp

“You knew when you married me I’m more Coco Chanel than coq au vin” ~ Carrie Bradshaw

October 12, 2012October 12, 20122 Comments

My stupid, stupid cold is back. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

I have no idea why this year has been so bad. The DH is threatening to take me to the doctor to see if they will take my tonsils out…….I believe this is mainly because he’s a big ol’ chicken about catching it from me. Although – if it will help me feel better on a regular basis – I’m all for it! I’ll just think about all the gelato I would have to eat while I recuperated.

I’d like to make my own gelato – does anyone have one of those electric counter-top ice cream/yogurt/gelato makers? I think I want one…….

Oh well, hopefully I’ll feel better tomorrow. On to brighter topics…….

DINNER!

On the menu tonight is the less fussy Coq au vin. Everybody loves a good Coq au Vin but is not always up for the work it can sometimes require. So I say this is Coq au Vin’s country cousin.

Country Style Coq Au Vin