BBQ Chicken in a Crock Pot

BBQ done easy.  

BBQ done to perfection!

A simple recipe that takes about 5 minutes to put together.  What's better than that?

• 1 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce.  (I like Baby Ray's Original.)
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (frozen or thawed)

Add all to a crock pot.  Cook on low for 8 - 12 hours.  I like to put mine on right before bed and serve it for lunch.

Serves 4.

I serve it over white or brown rice with plenty of the juices.

Pan roasted broccoli is an excellent side dish to complete this meal.  Even if you are no fan of broccoli, give this recipe a try.  My husband loved it, and he's never before like broccoli unless it's drowning in cheese sauce.

Best Bean Burritos

BEST BEAN BURRITOS

This was right on the first try!  I was blown away by the balance of flavor and the rapid rate at which I was wall satisfied by this meal.  Two small burritos and I was completely full - and what's more...my husband was full after two as well!

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.

Spray it with cooking spray and then add 1 tablespoon of oil (I use coconut oil or omega 3 enriched canola).  Add 2/3 to 3/4 cup of chopped onion.  That's about 1/3 of a decent size yellow onion.  Add 1 small can diced green chilies.  Don't try and drain them, just throw it all in. Be sure to stir this frequently, so it turns brown, but does not stick to the pan.  

Brown food, is good food!  My own personal cooking mantra.

Add to the skillet 5 dashes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce.  Note that I do not like food overly spicy.  Feel free to add more if you wish.  My husband adds more hot sauce right before he eats it.  Also add 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin. Keep stirring!!

Now add 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa; this is another place you can turn up the spice of the dish if you want to.  Just add a hotter salsa.  I used Pace picante mild.  

At this point your kitchen smells AMAZING!  Trust me!!  

When the mix is a nice medium brown color and just beginning to stick in the pan, which of course your will not allow, add one can of refried beans.  I always use fat free.  When the beans are heated through it's ready!

Before the dish is hot, go ahead and heat your tortillas.  This recipe makes 5 to 6 burritos, so heat 5 to 6 medium flour tortillas.   I prep mine in the microwave for 60 seconds on a plate paper towel.  

Fill heated tortillas with bean mix.  Optionally, you can then top with shredded cheese (cheddar, cojack, montery jack, or etc.), tomato, and sour cream.  

For a lower Glycemis Index version, just scoop up bites of the filling with celery sticks.  It's delicious!!

Recap of ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil 
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1 small can diced green chilies
• 5 dashes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
• one can of refried beans
• 6 medium flour tortillas

For your listening enjoyment, I present a group of 6 very talented young people playing a traditional Mexican folk song on guitars.  It's really quite lovely and very impressive.

Pumpkin Ice Cream - An easy autumn treat!

 PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

An easy autumn treat!

This one is a bit of a cheat, but that just makes it quick and oh, so easy.  I started with store bought ice cream!!  I know?!?!  It's genius!!  I used Breyers No Sugar Added Vanilla, but any variety of vanilla will work beautifully for you, I'm sure.  I added one scoop of canned pumpkin to 2 scoops of ice cream, sprinkled on 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and one packet of Splenda. (You could use 2 to 3 teaspoon of sugar - whatever tastes best to you.)  I mixed it all together and added a heaping tablespoon of walnuts.  YUM!!

Feel free to experiment if you wish.  Any spices used in pumpkin pie would be marvelous.  Depending on the recipe you use, you might see ginger, allspice, or cloves in addition to cinnamon and nutmeg.  The simplest way to do it would be to use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of "pumpkin pie spice".

I did notice that the ice cream became less firm as I mixed it with the pumpkin.  I'm sure if you mix it ahead of time it could go in the freezer to firm up again.  I'll experiment and let you know.

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM - Single serving

2 - 3" scoops of vanilla ice cream

1 - 3" scoop of canned pumpkin

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

A dash of nutmeg

1 packet of Splenda. (or 2 to 3 teaspoon of sugar)

OPTIONAL - dash of ginger, cloves, allspice 

OPTIONAL - 1 heaping tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix!  Place in freezer for an hour if it's not firm enough for your liking.

Here we have an autumn tune from the NEW Loreena McKennitt album "The Wind that Shakes the Barley".  She is astonishing, as usual.