Thursday 27 February 2014

Slow Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Stew

An easy and healthy meal for the family.

Ingredients:
6 pieces bone in chicken thighs
4 cups your choice of chopped veggies
[In this recipe I used celery, carrot, cherry tomatoes, onion, cauliflower, garlic]
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups water
2 tbsp Montreal steak spice
1 cup cooked pasta [macaroni, bows, shells or use fancy character pastas to make it fun for the kids]

Place all the ingredients except for the pasta in your slow cooker. Turn the temperature to high. If it doesn't all fit. You can either cook the chicken or the vegetables till they're soften first. Then everything should shrink and it will fit in a 6 quart slow cooker.

Once the chicken is cooked and the liquid is simmering. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 2-3 hours. The vegetables and liquid should thicken into a chunky sauce. Chicken should fall apart now. Remove the bones and add the precooked pasta. Mix well and warm up the pasta for about 30 minutes in the stew.

Serve hot with garlic toast or on its own.

Bon appetit!

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Montreal Steak Spice

Hello my fellow foodies:

Here's a recipe from my family friends in Montreal. It tastes rather different than the store bought variety.  Hope you will enjoy it as I did.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried onion flakes or granules
1 tbsp dried garlic flakes or granules
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tbsp crushed chilli flakes
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds

Place all the spices in a pistol and mortar. Or use a blender. Grind the spices to a nice coarse powder. Store in an air tight jar in a dry cool place when not used.

Enjoy!

Thursday 20 February 2014

Slow Cooker Mexican Bean Dip

Ingredients:
1 can mixed beans
1 can refried beans
2 cups white wine
1/2 white onion, diced
1 cup white mushrooms, diced
2 tbsps molasses
1 jalapeño, unseeded & diced (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and bring to a boil on high. Then turn down to low and let simmer for 3-4 hours. Then liquid should evaporate leaving you a thick sauce.

Turn off heat and let sit till it's cooled off a bit. You pour the mixture and blend till smooth. I personally like some texture in my dips, so I tend to blend half and mix it with the other half that hasn't been blended.

Option #1: Top with your choice of shredded cheese, sour cream and green onion. Serve warm if not hot.

Option #2: You can also put the mixture in a heat proof dish and bake it with the cheese on top. Bake till the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and green onions on top.

Easy recipe for game nights or family dinners. If you are serving children then substitute juice for wine. (Apple juice or white grape are good choices)

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Vivian