Recipe 63: Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

8 ou cremini mushrooms

5-6 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup flour

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

salt/pepper

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen green beans

1/3 cup heavy cream

In a slow cooker, mix together mushrooms, carrots, onion, flour, thyme, bay leaf and 1/2 cup water. Place chicken on top and season with 1 tea salt and 1/4 tea pepper.  Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on LOW or until vegetables are tender.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut sheet of pastry into 6 even squares and bake about 8-10 minutes.  10 minutes before serving, add peas, green beans, cream and 1/2 tea salt to crock pot.  Stir well, breaking up chicken.  Cook about 5-10 minutes or until veggies are heated through.  Place chicken and vegetables into a bowl and top with one pastry square.

Welcome back followers!  I hope you have all still been visiting and making your favorite dishes you have found here.  Thank you for returning after such a long hiatus!  I found a winner for my return.  I made this one while camping (in a trailer with electricity, of course) and it was perfect for the chilly evening. 

This is quite a simple and delicious recipe.  I wouldn't change a thing about it.  However, the great thing about recipes with tons of veggies is that you can make this one your own.  Add more carrots to your liking.  Leave out the green beans and add corn.  Don't care for mushrooms?  Don't add them.  Perhaps some cubed potatoes might be a good addition.  For the frozen puff pastry, I used the Pepperidge Farm brand.  This is the first I had ever had a need for this kind of pastry.  I had to search, but I found it in the frozen food section with the desserts.  (As a bonus, it comes with 2 sheets.  So, either double the recipe and cook a dozen squares or pick up a can of your favorite pie filling and make some turnovers for dessert!)  Very easy and very fulfilling dinner!

 

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chicken-mushroom-pot-pie-00100000074128/index.html

Recipe 62 : Chicken Enchiladas

2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

2 cans Rotel

1 pkg taco seasoning

2 large cans enchilada sauce

4 cups low fat shredded cheese

2 bunches green onions, chopped

16 whole wheat tortillas

Place chicken, Rotel and taco seasoning in slow cooker.  Cook on HIGH for 4 hours.  Shred chicken and drain extra juice.  Add 1 cup of enchilada sauce, 1/2 of chopped onions and 2 cups shredded cheese to the chicken.  Pour small amount of enchilada sauce onto a plate and dip each tortilla in the sauce.  Place about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture in the tortilla and roll.  Spray 2 9x13 casserole dishes with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour enough sauce into the dish to just cover the bottom.  Fit 8 rolls into each dish.  Cover with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle each dish with 1 cup of cheese and the rest of the onions.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

I read this recipe and the only thing I did was double it (this is the doubled amount)!  I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe.  Be careful which enchilada sauce you buy- the one I chose was quite spicy!  Luckily, I don't mind the heat, but those of you who can't eat spicier foods- beware!  Additional toppings could include black olives, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes or sour cream.  Also, you can use the chicken for something other than enchiladas- burritos, nachos, pulled chicken sandwiches.  Let me know what else you come up with!

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=265522340

Recipe 61 : Moroccan Stew

1 lb. beef cubes for stew

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, diced

2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 can chickpeas, drained and washed

2 1/2 cup beef broth

2 tea cumin

2 tea ground coriander

2 cinnamon sticks

5 carrots, peeled and cut chunky

1 red pepper, diced

1 bunch kale, torn in small pieces

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Add all ingredients, except kale and parsley, into the slow cooker.  Cook on LOW for 6 hours.  Add kale and parsley and cook for 20 more minutes.  Serve over rice.

Welcome back to the blog, my followers!  I have still been using my Crock Pot, however, I decided since I am no longer obligated to post every week, I am only going to post the good ones!  We are now deep into the Crock Potting season, so I thought I would post something hearty.  And since we are fresh from the holiday season, I thought I would post something HEALTHY too!  (Any Weight Watchers followers will be happy to know that a serving of this stew is only 5 points, plus 3 for the rice.)

For those of you who may prefer chicken instead of beef, subsitute chicken broth and a couple of shredded chicken breasts.  Want a complete veggie meal?  Vegetable broth and no meat will get you there.

Let's talk about the kale.  I feel this is a frequently overlooked veggie which adds a bit of a tasty bite to any dish.  If you don't agree with the taste, I imagine spinach would be a great substitute.  Or if you find you like it, substitute spinach in other recipes!  Although it looks like lettuce, it has a thicker stem.  After washing, tear the leaves off the stem and then tear them into smaller pieces.  It won't wilt as much as spinach would, so expect more of a crunch.

So there you have it!  The first recipe of the new year!  Hope you enjoy!

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/9-healthy-crockpot-recipes-try-winter?page=6