Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Day #18 What should we do next?

I think we should keep going on improving our homes for another 21 days - get us through to Christmas holidays - then start a new poll with all of us to decide what is next? Is that cool with everyone?

Today I am going to give you a crockpot recipe as promised... I almost never cook from recipes, which I know drives some people crazy I know (you know who you are...). So I am kind of just going to wing it here too... But I will try and be as precise as I can for you. I am not a chef - I wish I were - so I can't vouch for it turning out perfectly.. Only that I have made these recipes many times and they turned out for us 'kay?

You should also know that I don't eat any meat. I won't even taste it so I am going on the word of the family that it tastes good...

Chicken in the crockpot. Just did this one last week!
--Buy a chicken. A whole one. In pieces, like a kentucky 9-cut or whole. If you are working with whole bird check for gizzards and stuff inside and discard (ick!) and you want the skin on and the bones in. Since it will be cooking for a long time - these are a good idea.
--Set the crockpot to low and if you have a timer - use it. I have one but haven't exactly figured it out so I just set mine to the lowest setting and leave it all day while I am at work. Sometimes that is 8 or 9 hours. Perfect.
--Using your favourite spice mixture (italian seasoning, cajun or mexican blends are all mixtures I have tried) coat the bird all over while the skin is fairly dry. Then it will stick.
--Add 1/2 a can or bottle of beer. If you don't have that - add 1 cup of white wine. If you don't have that - use 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth.
--Throw in a whole bunch of garlic cloves peeled but not necessarily chopped. Saves time.
--Toss in a whole chopped onion, white, yellow, sweet, not sweet - doesn't matter.
--I add about 1/2 a pint of grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes - whole, not chopped.
--Add 1/2 cup of your favourite tomato sauce or BBQ sauce - homemade or store bought, doesn't matter around the chicken.
--Cook all day. When you get home the bones should just fall right out of this guy.

TIP: You know a chicken is cooked when you pierce it with a fork down to the bone and the juices run clear.

--Cut it up, serve with your favourite side or salad.
--Enjoy!

2 comments:

Pamela said...

Sounds like a good plan!

Thanks for the recipe. Even though I eat meat, I will not debone or cook a whole chicken. Can't bring myself to touch it. Ick. I'll pass it along to my DH though, maybe he'll try it.

Found this blog awhile ago and it is super great - A year of Crockpotting - http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/. This is one dedicated lady!

KathyP said...

I'll get a chicken this weekend and give it a whirl...thanks !