Chicken Tagine over Couscous with Green Beans and Slivered Almonds

Tagine is a Moroccan stew that can be made with vegetables or without. My family loves vegetables in it, but if you prefer, you can leave out the bell pepper and garbanzo beans. We also love green olives, so I stir a few in during the last few minutes of cooking, but those are optional, too. This is another slow cooker meal that allows you to create a wonderful dinner without heating up the kitchen. This recipe will serve 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 yellow onions, sliced
½ cup of apricot jam
¼ cup of golden or dark raisins
1 can of garbanzo beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 red or orange bell pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 cup of grated carrot
1 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of lemon juice (you may substitute white vinegar for this)
1 ½ teaspoons of cumin
1 ½ teaspoons of powdered ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 small package of green beans
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 cups uncooked couscous

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together and place in the crock pot.
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Cook the green beans in the microwave and toss with the slivered almonds.
Cook the couscous with boiling water according to package directions.
Serve the tagine over the couscous with the green beans on the side.



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Easy Cassoulet in the Slow Cooker

A cassoulet doesn't get much easier than this.

Ingredients:
2 cups Navy beans
2 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
1 pound of chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced (or ½ a small bag of baby carrots)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup white table wine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 can (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
½ pound of Italian sausage, hot or mild
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:
Soak the Navy beans overnight in water. Rinse and drain in the morning.
Cook the bacon until crisp. Brown the chicken in the bacon grease.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 7 hours.

If you like recipes with beans, check out my selection of bean soups, chilis, and casserole recipes.

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Saucy Beef Crockpot Stew

Hot Homemade Bread




For this dinner, everything is prepared in the morning. All you have to do is take the bread out of the bread machine in the afternoon and slice it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. beef stew meat, trimmed of all fat
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters
1 onion, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce-32 oz.

Flour and yeast for the bread machine bread

Preparation:
Spray the crock pot with cooking spray or a thin coating of cooking oil.
Place the vegetables in the crock pot.
Place the meat in the crock pot on top of the vegetables.
Stir together the soups, red pepper flakes, and Kitchen Bouquet.
Pour over the meat and vegetables.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Place all the ingredients for the bread in the bread machine according to directions.
Set the delay bake function to have the bread ready 20 minutes before the stew.
Serve the beef stew with the hot homemade bread.


I've used Kitchen Bouquet for years, and there's nothing quite like it for browning and seasoning beef. There isn't any substitute for it. It has it's own unique flavor which is quite tasty. One bottle will last a long time in the kitchen. Store it in the refrigerator for best results.

Spicy Mexican Chicken with Bacon in the Crock Pot

Spicy Mexican Chicken with Bacon in the Crock Pot
Skillet Potatoes
Mexican Corn

This little chicken can be as hot or mild as you like. Use hotter peppers for a fire alarm hot chicken. Use relleno peppers for a milder flavor. Do NOT ever touch your eyes or face after handling peppers. It’s a painful experience. Ask me how I know.

I don't have a picture of it, because when I took it out of the crockpot, it's poor little wings fell off. Not a pretty sight. But it was delicious. The spices infused the entire chicken with flavor. We used the leftover chicken to make delicious Green Chili Enchiladas the next day.

Ingredients:

• 1 roasting chicken
• 2 peppers, seeded
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 slices of cooked bacon
• One onion, peeled and quartered
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cloves
• 1 anise star
• Salt

Ingredients for the vegetables:

• 4 russet potatoes, washed and chopped into 1 inch squares
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt, pepper, and paprika
• 1Tbsp olive oil
• 1 package of frozen corn
• 1 small can of diced green chilis, mild

In the morning:
Chop the peppers, garlic, and bacon in a small food chopper. Add the cinnamon and cloves and stir.
Rub the cavity of the chicken with salt. Place the onion quarters and the star anise inside.
Lift the skin from the neck of the chicken, and gently slide your hand under the skin.
With a spoon, spread the spice, pepper, and garlic mixture under the skin of the breast of the chicken.
Put any leftover spice, pepper, and garlic mixture in the cavity.
If the legs of the chicken separate, truss them with kitchen twine or a zip tie. (Don't worry, the plastic zip tie won't melt in the crock pot.)
Place the chicken in the crock pot breast side up.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

In the afternoon:
Set the table.
Heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan.
Cook the potatoes and onions in the skillet until the potatoes are browned.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and paprika.
While the potatoes are cooking, mix the corn and green chilis in a bowl and steam in the microwave.
Remove the chicken from the crock pot and place on a serving platter.