Red Bean, Chicken, and Sweet Potato Soup [slow-cooker]

RED BEAN, CHICKEN,
AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
[slow-cooker recipe]

2 (15-oz) cans no-salt-added red beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 (14.5-oz) cans chicken broth
2-1/2 cups green sweet peppers, chopped (about 2 large)
1 (10-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can tomatoes and chopped green chile peppers, undrained
1 Tblsp Cajun seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh cilantro

• In a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine beans, sweet potatoes, chicken, broth, sweet peppers, diced tomatoes, tomatoes and green chile peppers, Cajun seasoning, and garlic.
• Cover and cook on low-heat settings for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
• Served topped with cilantro.
• Makes 6 servings.

recipe directly from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications "Good & Fresh" Winter 2013

Chicken Pot Pie

CHICKEN POT PIE

1 (17.3 oz) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
Nonstick cooking spray
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped (2 stalks)
1 cup carrots, chopped (2 medium)
1 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half (or milk)
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen baby or regular peas

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
• Roll out pastry sheets and cut according to dish or bowls used; set aside.
• Lightly coat a Dutch oven with cooking spray; heat Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken, cook until light brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir flour into chicken mixture; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in half-and-half until combined. Add broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in frozen peas. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf.
• Spoon hot chicken mixture into eight 10-ounce individual ramekins or baking dishes. Top with pastry squares. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is golden.
• Makes 8 servings.

recipe directly from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications "Chicken Dinners" 2013

click on image to see "Chicken Pot Pie"
via a Pillsbury recipe

Chicken Corn Chowder

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 14.5oz can chicken broth
1 cup potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 medium red potatoes)
1 cup half-and-half (or milk)
2 Tblsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup bacon bits (or 2 slices real bacon, cooked and chopped)

• In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sweet pepper; cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in corn, broth and potatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, flour, thyme, salt and pepper; stir into corn mixture. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Add chicken and bacon; cook and stir until heated through.
• Garnish with thyme. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Pork Stir-Fry [Low-Calorie]

PORK STIR-FRY

with CARROTS & SNOW PEAS

(low-calorie: about 350 per serving)

8 oz pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
3 Tblsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 Tblsp cornstarch
1 Tblsp honey
1 Tblsp tomato paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of black pepper
2 tsp canola oil, divided
1 Tblsp minced garlic
1 Tblsp minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen snow peas or green beans
1 cup carrot strips
2 Tblsp sliced scallions
2 tsp black and/or white sesame seeds

• Combine pork strips and 1 Tblsp soy sauce. Cover and refrigerate while preparing sauce.
• Stir together remaining 2 Tblsp soy sauce, broth, sherry, cornstarch, honey, tomato paste, 1 tsp garlic, ground ginger, and pepper.
• Preheat a wok over medium-high heat. Hold wok away from stove, spray wok with nonstick cooking spray. Return wok to stove top.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in wok. Stir-fry half of the pork until it's cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove pork to a plate. Stir-fry remaining pork; remove to plate.
• Add remaining 1 tsp oil to wok. Add 1 Tblsp garlic and fresh ginger; stir-fry 10-15 seconds. Add snow peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Return pork to wok; add sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Add carrots; heat and stir 1 minute.
• Serve stir-fry over white or brown rice; garnish with scallions. Sprinkle each serving with sesame seeds.

recipe directly from CuisineLite magazine, Spring 2013 edition

Coq au Vin [slow-cooker]

EASY COQ AU VIN 

[slow-cooker recipe]

(low-calorie: about 326 per serving)

1 8-oz package mushrooms, halved
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1-1/2 cups frozen pearl onions [or 1 white onion, cut into big chunks]
Non-stick cooking spray
5 to 6 large cooking thighs, skin removed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine [or red cooking wine]
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tblsp tapioca
2 Tblsp red wine vinegar
1-1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 cups hot cooked whole grain wide noodles

• In a 4-5qt slow cooker, combine mushrooms, carrots, and onions. Set aside.
• Lightly coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add chicken thighs to skillet, meaty sides down. Cook about 6 minutes or until brown, turning once. Add chicken to cooker.
• Add wine to skillet; bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from bottom and sides of skillet. Remove from heat. Stir in broth, tapioca, vinegar, herbes de Provence, garlic, the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Pour over chicken in cooker.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 5-1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours. [I recommend the high-heat setting. The carrots will still have a little bit of a bite to them still!]
• Sprinkle with parsley; serve with noodles.

recipe from Better Homes and Gardens "Skinny Slow Cooker" magazine, 2013

Sweet Potatoes w/ Crispy Prosciutto

SWEET POTATOES

with CRISPY PROSCIUTTO

1-1/2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato (1 large potato)
2 tsp olive oil
1 slice prosciutto or 1 strip bacon, diced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tblsp chicken broth
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tblsp fresh parsley, minced

• Cook sweet potato in a pot of water until fork-tender, 6-8 minutes; drain.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto, cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes. (if using bacon, omit oil).
• Stir in garlic; cook 2-3 minutes. 
• Stir in broth and salt; cook until broth evaporates, about 5 minutes. 
• Garnish sweet potatoes with parsley.

recipe directly from Cuisine Lite Spring 2013 magazine

Chicken w/ Blueberry Sauce & Blue Cheese

SAUTEED CHICKEN 

with BLUEBERRY SAUCE & BLUE CHEESE

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
1 Tblsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tblsp shallots, minced
1/4 cup dry Maderia or sherry
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tsp crumbled blue cheese

• Pound each piece of chicken between plastic wrap to a thickness of 1/2 inch using a meat mallet. After pounding, cut each chicken breast into 2 pieces. 
• Heat 2 tsp oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken on both sides until cooked through, 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; tent with foil.
• Saute shallots in pan with 1 tsp oil over high heat, 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with Madeira, cooking until liquid is nearly evaporated.
• Add blueberries; simmer until berries start to burst, about 2 minutes. Add broth, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
• Crush blueberries with a potato masher; simmer 2 minutes.
• Place 2 chicken pieces on each plate. Top servings with blueberry sauce; garnish with blue cheese.

recipe directly from Cuisine Lite Spring 2013 magazine

Corn & Potato Chowder [Slow-Cooker]

CORN & POTATO CHOWDER

(low calorie, about 220 per serving)

3 medium red potatoes, finely diced
2 (14.75-oz) can cream-style corn
1 (1.5-oz) can chicken broth
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 (11-oz) can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Cracked black pepper
Soup or saltine crackers
Dollop of sour cream

• In a 3-1/2 to 4-qt crock-pot, combine potatoes, cream-style corn, broth, garlic powder, corn with peppers, and ground pepper.
• Cover and cook on low-heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. 
• Serve with crackers and dollop of sour cream on top.
• Makes 6 servings.

TOMATO BASIL & PARMESAN SOUP

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery 
1 cup finely diced carrots 
1 cup finely diced onions 
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano 
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil 
4 cups chicken broth 
½ bay leaf 
½ cup flour 
1 cup Parmesan cheese 
½ cup butter 
1-1/2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt 
¼ tsp black pepper 

•  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. 
• About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. 
• Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end). 
•  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

recipe directly from We pass the time of day to forget how time passes Jan 23rd, 2012