Well kids are back to school so we've been trying to come up with some new lunch ideas. They need to be quick, tasty and healthy. The Buffalo Wings my boys love don't meet any of the above so I created a version that is for the crock pot that is lunchbox friendly. Line your crock and add simply a package of boneless, skinless, chicken thighs - free range chicken preferred and a half bottle of your wing sauce of choice. Cook on low for 6 hours. The chicken will be falling apart and easy to shred. I made a batch last week and then made wraps for lunches. Using a whole wheat fajitas size wrap we smeared bottom with chive and onion cream cheese, added chicken and topped with ranch or blue cheese dressing. The possibilities are endless for your wraps based on your taste :)
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It really IS Christmas in July today - for me at least! I've been having several issues with my desktop computer and my access to my weebly website editor so I haven't been able to post in a MONTH! Thank Heavens today I sat down and dealt with computer support/tech support related to several things and at least I'm somewhat up and running again! So back to my blog post...
Christmas/Chanukah in July?? Seems crazy but this is the BEST time to work on a great idea for the holidays...It's hot outside so spend some downtime inside and make those phtobooks you've been meaning to get to - they make such super gifts but not if you are scrambled trying to make them in November. ALSO one of my favorite ideas and something I did several years back - Make a family cookbook using your favorite photobook site. You can scan in the old recipe cards with the beloved handwriting of someone you love, scan in old/new photos, and use the text box to write out the recipe if you need to for easier reading. I did one of these a few years ago and gave out to several family members. I kept one for myself and love having all my family's long treasured recipes in one place! Remember if you need help organizing your photos or making the books - I help with that too! You can click on the pdf to see what my recipe books looks like :) I'm enjoying time at the lake this summer to catch up on lots of magazines with healthy and some not so healthy recipes to try - which made me think...I'd love to hear from you all to find out how you organize your recipes...add a note to comments or email me via the website and share your helpful hints!
My family - even the kids love Indian food so I'm always on the lookout for a new dish...this one is actually the combination of two different recipes I found on the net and picked the pieces from each we liked and tweaked the rest to suit us. It came out fantastic!!!!!! Hope you enjoy it! Use a large, lined crock: 1 1/2 cups lentils (I use the tri-colored mix) 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed 1 tablespoon butter 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 red onions, chopped 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or generous squeeze from tube 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or squeeze from tube 1 tsp. Cumin powder 1 tsp. Chili powder 1 tsp. Curry powder ½ tsp. Cayenne powder 1 tsp. Coriander Chutney (optional – found in Indian grocery or section of store) 1/2 cup red wine 1 14-ounce can low sodium diced tomatoes ¼. C. Tamarind/Date Sauce (optional – found in Indian grocery or section of store) 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth Wash lentils in cold water in a medium bowl until the water runs clear; drain and spread in an even layer in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the lentils. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spices and chutney and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping the onion mixture from the bottom of the pan, then stir in Tamarind sauce and tomatoes with their juice. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker on top of the chicken, then pour in broth. Cover and cook until the chicken is falling-apart tender, 4-5 hours on High or 6-7 hours on Low. Stir the stew to combine. Some Italians call it sauce - some call it gravy - either way you'll call this delish! Use a large lined crock and plan to have containers ready as this freezes well. Also - this actually tastes better if you leave it a day after cooking to let the flavors deepen so great as a make ahead item and then ready to reheat on a busy night over your favorite pasta. Step 1: 1 lb. Good quality/Organic ground beef 85/15 2 links (take casings off) Italian Sausage - either mild or hot to suit your taste 1 yellow onion diced Brown meat and onion in large skillet, drain off fat, and add to crock. Step 2: Then add to crock: 2 cans Italian Style diced tomatoes with garlic/seasonings 2 cans tomato sauce 1 small can tomato paste 3 cloves garlic – crushed, pressed or cheat like me and squeeze from tube 2 carrots chopped fine (these give a great sweetness to the sauce) 1 red and 1 green bell pepper chopped fine 2 T. Italian Seasoning Herb dry mix ½. C. red wine (optional but deepens the flavor and alcohol cooks off) Cook on low 6 hours. Can be served then but better if you park in in fridge and reheat the next day. Freezes great and makes for a quick meal on a busy night. I'm calling this breakfast since you can put it all in late night right before bed and have a great breakfast ready in the morning but I gotta tell you this makes a great dessert served over ice cream as well... In a large lined crock place 4-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced. In a bowl combine the following: 1/3 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. flour 3/4 c. granola of choice (plain is fine but there are lots out there so pick what you like!) 1 T. Apple Pie Spice 1/2 pouch from 3.5oz box - butterscotch pudding mix Handful of raisins or craisins (optional) Combine these ingredients and the cut 1/2 c. cold butter into small chunks and cut into dry mix so it looks like coarse crumbles. Sprinkle this mix over apples. Cook on low 5-6 hours. It's tax day and whether you paid in or are getting paid out - we could all use a treat today! Why not make this yummy chocolate fondue to have for dessert tonight? Start this in a small 2-4 cup crock as you sit down to dinner so the items can melt while you are eating and will be ready at just the right time. A liner won't work for this small crock but hey who are we kidding here? You'll scrape every bit of chocolate goodness out to that crock making clean up a snap :) Add to crock: 4oz. semisweet chocolate chips (or any variation of chocolate/other chips that you care to - i.e. could do half chocolate and half peanut butter chips) and 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream. Cover and heat til melted, stirring occasionally. If serving to adults you could finish off by adding a tablespoon of brandy or other liquor to the choco mix to suit. (lots of great combos here - think Chamboard - raspberry liquor, Kahlua, Creme de Menthe) and dip whatever makes you happy into the mix - obviously great with all kinds of fruit, pound cake, sugar cookies - even pretzels. Enjoy! We'll be enjoying these as we watch the big basketball game tonight. They are easy, kid friendly and delicious! Serves 4-6 and easily can be doubled. Use a medium sized crock and as always start with a liner. In a coffee cup: dissolve 4 tsp. cornstarch in 4 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce by whisking with fork and add to crock. Then add to crock: 4 T. seasoned rice vinegar 4 T. honey 1/2 c. Tamarind/Date sauce (a great Indian sweet/sour sauce that can be found in Indian/International food stores) 2 T. Minced Ginger from tube 2 T. Minced Garlic from tube 1/2 c. orange juice Whisk all together til smooth and then add 2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs to crock. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken from crock and shred/pull meat. Add meat back to crock and stir back into sauce. Serve on slider buns with either pickle, sliced radish/english cucumbers, or even top with cole slaw. You'll need your largest crock for this recipe! Found this gem in the February issue of Fitness Magazine and then tweaked it to suit our family. A total winner and oh so good for you too!! As always, start with a lined crock and add the following: 3 cans low sodium black beans, rinsed, drained 2 cans no-salt corn, drained 3 T. chopped chipotles in adobo sauce 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small chunks 1 T. Cumin, Dried Oregano, CInnamon and Chili Powder, each 4 cloves garlic chopped fine, or generous squeeze from tube 3 cans dices tomatoes (I used 2 with green pepper/onion blend and one can with green chilis blend) 1 red onion, chopped 1 green pepper chopped 1 package Turkey smoked sausage cut into bite sized pieces Stir together and cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve with chili fixings of choice. Was fantastic as leftovers for lunch! Something a little different for today's Crock Pot Monday...I'm hleping with my son's International Festival this week and making lots of Irish and British foods that I've grown up with and/or have come to love. This item will be brought in my crock pot and served over bits crusty bread for the tasting. At home serve this over thick slices of toasted bread & butter. Similar to a "Welsh Rarebit" and would be great as an easy dinner, served with soup or salad. Ther recipe comes from an old Irish cookbook I have and can easily be dobled or tripled as I'll be doing for the event. You'll need a small to medium sized crock for this one based on how much you'll be making and as always use a liner. 1/2 lb (2 cups) grated Cheddar cheese (do not buy pregrated - buy good Cheddar - I like sharp Vermont white for this and grate yourself with box grater - this is critical) 3 T. milk 1 T. beer 4 oz (1/2 c.) butter 1 tsp. prepared English Mustard (I like Coleman's) Pepper to taste (I like using white ground pepper in this) 2 T. chopped mixed pickle or chutney - "chopped mixed pickle" is refering to something like Branston Pickle - which you can find in the British foods section of your local grocery. This is a mix of pickled veg and not pickles as American's think of them - you can leave out if you like but they are tasty. I use the "small chunk" variety of Branston when I make this. Add grated cheese, milk, butter and beer to crock and cook on high until melted, stirring occasionally. Once melted and creamy, turn crock to low and add mustard, pepper to taste and pickle if desired. Serve at once over toasted buttered bread. Can be kept in crock on warm setting for a bit if needed which I'll do to serve for the festival. Can also be used for a fondue type dish and can dip veg and bread into. It's cheesy and yummy - nothing not to love. |
AuthorJen Payne, CPA, Professional Organizer and mom to two boys: Brendan (17) and Ryan (15). Archives
April 2015
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