Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (86 page)

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

1½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. lemon pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

6 skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

8 oz. sour cream

½ cup dry white wine,
or
chicken broth

½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1. Combine salt, pepper, paprika, lemon pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub over chicken. Place meat in slow cooker.

2. Combine soup, sour cream, and wine or broth in bowl. Stir in mushrooms. Spoon over chicken, being careful not to disturb rub.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 5-7 hours or on High 3 hours, or until chicken is fully cooked but not dry.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
potatoes
,
rice
, or
couscous
. Delicious accompanied with
broccoli-cauliflower salad
and
applesauce
.

Indonesian Peanut Chicken

Naomi Ressler

Harrisonburg, VA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

⅓ cup chopped onions

⅓ cup water

¼ cup creamy,
or
chunky, peanut butter

3 Tbsp. chili sauce

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

cooked rice,
or
soba noodles

6 Tbsp. chopped peanuts

6 Tbsp. chopped sweet red peppers

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, combine onions, water, peanut butter, chili sauce, salt, and peppers. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours, or until chicken is tender.

4. Serve over rice or soba noodles. Sprinkle with peanuts and red peppers.

Chicken Cashew Dish

Dorothy Horst

Tiskilwa, IL

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

14-oz. can bean sprouts, drained

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

4 green onions, chopped

4-oz. can mushroom pieces, drained

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sliced celery

12½-oz. can chunk chicken breast,
or
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup cashew nuts

1. Combine all ingredients except nuts in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours or on High 2-2½ hours.

3. Stir in cashew nuts before serving.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
.

Note:

I teach English as a Second Language to Vietnamese women. Occasionally they invite us to join them for dinner on Vietnamese New Year. We enjoy the fellowship and Vietnamese traditions immensely. They always have a “Lucky Tree,” a tree with yellow flowers which blooms in Vietnam on New Year’s. They decorate the tree by hanging red envelopes in it. Each contains a money gift; one is given to each unmarried person present, including the babies.

Chicken Azteca

Katrine Rose

Woodbridge, VA

Makes 10-12 servings

Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2½-6½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6- to 7-qt.

2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained

4 cups frozen corn kernels

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ tsp. ground cumin

2 cups chunky salsa,
divided

10 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, cubed

1. Combine beans, corn, garlic, cumin, and half of salsa in slow cooker.

2. Arrange chicken breasts over top. Pour remaining salsa over top.

3. Cover. Cook on High 2-3 hours or on Low 4-6 hours, or until chicken is tender but not dry.

4. Remove chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Return to cooker.

5. Stir in cream cheese. Cook on High until cream cheese melts.

Serving suggestion: Spoon chicken and sauce over cooked
rice
. Top with
shredded cheese
.

Tamale Chicken

Jeanne Allen

Rye, CO

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 medium onion, chopped

4-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained

2 Tbsp. oil

10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream

1 cup sliced ripe olives

1 cup chopped stewed tomatoes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked
*
and chopped

16-oz. can beef tamales, chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. pepper

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese,
divided

1. Sauté onion and chilies in oil in skillet. Place in slow cooker.

2. Combine all remaining ingredients, except ½ cup shredded cheese, in slow cooker.

3. Top with remaining cheese.

4. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours.

Serving suggestion: Pass chopped fresh
tomatoes
,
shredded lettuce
,
sour cream
,
salsa
, and
guacamole
so guests can top their Tamale Chicken with these condiments.

*
You can cook the chicken breasts by placing them in your slow cooker. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Pour 3-4 cups water into cooker, along its interior side so as not to wash the seasonings off the meat. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours or so, until chicken is fork-tender but not dry.

Choose a country that has special meaning for your family and plan a holiday menu around the foods of that country. For example, our children grew up in Honduras where tamales were served on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. These foods bring back special memories.

Elena Yoder, Albuquerque, NM