Slow Cooking My Way Through 2013

I am NOT a person to set "New Year's Resolutions" for the main reason that they generally set a person up for failure.  There is so much hype and expectation that things will be drastically changed or altered...and then there is that feeling of failure or disappointment when it does not happen.  SO....instead I contemplate what small changes would be feasible and set goals for myself.  Nothing official, nothing on paper, just goals I set mentally. 

One of the goals I have recently set for myself is to utilize my crock pot at least once a week.  After discovering yesterday that 9 hours in the crock pot is a little too long for chicken, even though it went in frozen, I think I will end up using the slow cooker on Saturdays so that I can better control how long everything cooks.  Most recipes suggest 8 hours at the most and some as little as 4-6.  So, using it on a workday may not be the best idea for our household, although I am sure it works fine for others.  (Honestly, we are just a little picky when it comes to chicken being overcooked; ok, and maybe a few other thing when it comes to food!)

Last Saturday was my first attempt at a crock pot meal in QUITE a while and I tackled Chicken and Corn Chili.  It was awesome! I have recently discovered that I can make decent beef chili on the stove but I think I may prefer this chicken chili.  Maybe I can try making my regular chili in the crock pot; oh, the possibilities! Here's the recipe for the chili and for last night's dinner of Creamy Crock Pot Chicken:

Chicken and Corn Chili:      http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-and-corn-chili/  

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (16 ounce) jar salsa

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

 salt to taste

 ground black pepper to taste

1 (11 ounce) can Mexican-style corn

1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans

The recipe says to cook the chicken, seasonings, and the salsa first (6-8 hours) and then add the beans and corn later.  You could add it all at the same time really, but I did follow the recipe in that aspect.  Ok, here is how I changed it up: I used 2 chicken breast halves, can of regular corn (unsalted), 1 can pinto beans, 1 can black beans, and 1 can petite diced tomatoes.  Ok, and I kind of laugh when I see recipes that call for a teaspoon or two of garlic powder...really? If you are going to use it, then USE it. Anyway, the seasonings don't have to be exact. I never measure, instead eyeballing it, and through practice and LOTS of cooking I have become pretty decent at seasoning things properly. Remember, it takes time.  I think I ended up adding additional seasoning (all of them) after adding the canned items as those are typically bland. Also, I do try to buy the unsalted canned veggies (like the corn and tomatoes) as that allows me to have more control over the saltiness of my dish.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken:      http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-cream-cheese-chicken-12458

3 lbs chicken pieces

1 (2/3 ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix
4 tablespoons melted butter (divided)
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth

You can check out the actual recipe at the above link, but here's how I did it because I let it cook while I was at work:
1. Spray the crock pot with Pam and put two frozen chicken breast halves in.

2. Season the chicken with the Italian dressing mix, salt, and pepper on both sides and then dump half a chopped onion over the top.

3. Glob the soup over top of all that and then pour in the broth. Here I also added a tablespoon of jarred diced garlic. (We don't always have fresh on hand so we keep a jar of it handy.)

4. Cook on low 8 hours

5. Add half a block of cream cheese, chunks, and a few dabs of butter. (If you have a microwave, I would suggest warming these slightly so you can mix it in; we don't have one and the cream cheese did not melt completely in the crockpot.)

6. Toss in some sliced carrots and cauliflower and continue cooking one more hour.

I made some rice on the stove during the last 15 minutes of the crock pot cook time and we ate the meal over rice. It was yummy! Oh, and the veggies were perfectly cooked; they were done but still a tiny bit crunchy, which is better than mushy!  

Some ideas for February:

Ranch House Chicken

Cheesy Chicken and Rice