Make It Fast, Cook It Slow (24 page)
Read Make It Fast, Cook It Slow Online
Authors: Stephanie O'Dea,Stephanie O’Dea
MOROCCAN CHICKEN
serves
4
The Ingredients
6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup salsa
¼ cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
½ teaspoon saffron threads
5 garlic cloves, minced
1
/
3
cup golden raisins
1
/
3
cup toasted almonds (I threw raw almonds into the microwave for 2 minutes)
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the stoneware. In a small bowl, combine the salsa, broth, Tabasco, honey, spices, and garlic. Pour on top of the chicken. Add the raisins and almonds. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. Serve with quinoa or couscous.
The Verdict
The first time I made this recipe, I was timid with the spices, but these measurements are correct. It’s fun for me to be able to put on a meal and taste and tweak throughout the day—the slow cooker provides plenty of tweaking time. My family enjoyed this meal—especially the raisins.
ROTISSERIE-STYLE CHICKEN
serves
4
The Ingredients
1 (4- to 5-pound) whole chicken
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt (I used 2)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 whole garlic cloves (optional)
1 yellow onion, quartered (optional)
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Skin the chicken and get rid of the neck and other stuff from the cavity.
In a bowl, combine the salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, Italian seasoning, and cayenne and black peppers. Rub the mixture all over the bird, inside and out. If desired, shove 4 whole garlic cloves and a quartered onion inside the bird. Plop the chicken breast-side down into the slow cooker. Do not add water.
Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, or on low for 8 hours. The meat is done when it is fully cooked and has reached the desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat will be.
The Verdict
The result? A moist, delicious rotisserie-wanna-be with virtually no fat. I used 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and the meat was nowhere near as salty as a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I was also surprised at how the meat was not-too-spicy (even the part coated in the spice rub) although I added a good deal of pepper. We were pleased with the flavor, and the kids ate their portions without comment—which is always good.
SALSA CHICKEN
serves
5
to
6
The Ingredients
6 to 9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or equivalent bird parts
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chunky salsa
1 cup frozen white corn
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken in the stoneware; my chicken was still frozen. Top with the rinsed black beans, salsa, and corn. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Cooking time will vary depending on whether or not your chicken is frozen, and how big the pieces are. If you decide to use boneless, skinless breasts, increase your salsa by ½ cup; breasts are drier than thighs.
The Verdict
This is a really yummy dish, and I liked how low in fat it is. If you don’t have enough meat in the house, or would like to stretch the meal, you can add half an 8-ounce block of cream cheese, a cup of sour cream, or a can of cream-of-something soup an hour before serving. The leftovers make a terrific nacho topping.
SLOPPY JOES
serves
4
The Ingredients
1 pound lean ground meat (I used ground turkey)
1 (1.4-ounce) packet Sloppy Joe mix (or use the recipe below to make your own)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup warm water
FOR THE SLOPPY JOE MIX
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon black pepper
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the meat into the stoneware, and add the spice packet (or your own mix), the tomato paste, and the water. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 5 hours. The meat is done when it is crumbly and fully cooked. Serve on hamburger buns or on top of rice.
The Verdict
I think I was in second grade the last time I had a Sloppy Joe, and was pleasantly surprised how tasty it was; not overly sweet as I had remembered. The kids enjoyed the “ketchup” meat, and liked that they were kind of messy. I made my own hamburger buns out of a box of gluten-free sandwich bread mix.
SPANISH BRAISED CHICKEN
serves
4
to
6
The Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
4 to 6 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 bell peppers, sliced (I used red and orange)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced crosswise into rings
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup dry sherry (you could use apple juice)
2 teaspoons orange juice
12 large pitted green olives, chopped
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Plug in the cooker and turn it to low. Put butter in the bottom of the stoneware. Add the chicken (mine was frozen). Sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme on top of chicken. Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Top with the sherry and orange juice. Sprinkle the chopped green olives over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
The Verdict
I cooked our chicken for 6 hours, and the meat was cooked, but a bit dry inside. I then chopped each breast in half, and added it back to the pot for another hour. The chicken was then quite juicy.
SWEET-AND-SOUR CHICKEN WITH MANGO LETTUCE WRAPS
serves
4
The Ingredients
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast pieces
1 (10-ounce) jar apricot jam
3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red chili paste
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 whole jalapeño peppers
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
romaine lettuce leaves
2 limes
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the stoneware. Add the jam, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili paste. Add garlic, onion, salt, black pepper, and ginger. Toss in the whole jalapeño peppers and the cucumbers. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or high for 4 to 5 hours. Cut the mangoes now while the kitchen is still dirty and put them in a container for use later.
When chicken has fully cooked, shred the meat with two large forks, and spoon ½ cup at a time on large romaine lettuce leaves. Add the mango, a squeeze of fresh lime, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
The Verdict
Three out of four of us liked this a lot. That is a successful meal, by my judgment, and the one who didn’t like it wouldn’t have liked anything that night. Seriously. She was in a funk. The whole jalapeños lend a bit of spice and smokiness without being overpowering.
STUFFED PEPPERS
serves
4
The Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey or beef (I used ground turkey)
1 cup cooked rice
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 large bell peppers (I used red and orange)
1
/
3
cup water
The Directions
Use a 6-quart oval slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground meat with the rice, tomatoes, onion, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and black pepper. Set aside. Wash the bell peppers, and cut off and reserve the very tops. Remove the membrane and seeds from each pepper, and stuff with the meat mixture. Replace the tops, and nestle the peppers into your slow cooker. Add
1
/
3
cup of water around the pepper bases. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
The Verdict
I made these on a day we planned to have dinner out, expecting to only take a tiny taste. Instead, I devoured two and had only a small appetizer and water at the restaurant. These are delicious, without a hint of grease—a fear I had.
TURKEY BREAST
serves
4 to 6
The Ingredients
4- to 6-pound turkey breast (bone in or out; your choice)
kosher salt
black pepper
1 onion, chopped coarsely
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 cups white wine, or you can use broth
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. If desired, cut off turkey skin with poultry shears, and discard. (I did this; I freak out about skin.) Season liberally with salt and pepper, and put into the stoneware. Wash your hands well. Add the onion to pot, pushing some pieces down the sides, and put a few in the rib cavity. Add the butter. Pour the wine over the top. I know it’s suggested not to cook with wine that you wouldn’t drink, but it’s okay because I drink cheap wine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test doneness—it should register a minimum of 165°F. Remove from cooker, and let sit for about 20 minutes before carving.
The Verdict
I used my mom’s “famous” and “secret” family recipe that she got from her friend Mark. I love this turkey—it’s moist and juicy, even though there isn’t any brown meat. If you’d like, you can throw in some turkey legs along with the breast. The rule of thumb is usually 1 pound of turkey per person. Gobble gobble.
