Red Bean, Chicken, and Sweet Potato Soup [slow-cooker]

RED BEAN, CHICKEN,
AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
[slow-cooker recipe]

2 (15-oz) cans no-salt-added red beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 (14.5-oz) cans chicken broth
2-1/2 cups green sweet peppers, chopped (about 2 large)
1 (10-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can tomatoes and chopped green chile peppers, undrained
1 Tblsp Cajun seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh cilantro

• In a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine beans, sweet potatoes, chicken, broth, sweet peppers, diced tomatoes, tomatoes and green chile peppers, Cajun seasoning, and garlic.
• Cover and cook on low-heat settings for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
• Served topped with cilantro.
• Makes 6 servings.

recipe directly from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications "Good & Fresh" Winter 2013

Chicken Pot Pie

CHICKEN POT PIE

1 (17.3 oz) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
Nonstick cooking spray
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped (2 stalks)
1 cup carrots, chopped (2 medium)
1 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half (or milk)
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen baby or regular peas

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
• Roll out pastry sheets and cut according to dish or bowls used; set aside.
• Lightly coat a Dutch oven with cooking spray; heat Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken, cook until light brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir flour into chicken mixture; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in half-and-half until combined. Add broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in frozen peas. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf.
• Spoon hot chicken mixture into eight 10-ounce individual ramekins or baking dishes. Top with pastry squares. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is golden.
• Makes 8 servings.

recipe directly from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications "Chicken Dinners" 2013

click on image to see "Chicken Pot Pie"
via a Pillsbury recipe

Chicken Corn Chowder

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 14.5oz can chicken broth
1 cup potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 medium red potatoes)
1 cup half-and-half (or milk)
2 Tblsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup bacon bits (or 2 slices real bacon, cooked and chopped)

• In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sweet pepper; cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in corn, broth and potatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, flour, thyme, salt and pepper; stir into corn mixture. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Add chicken and bacon; cook and stir until heated through.
• Garnish with thyme. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Pork Stir-Fry [Low-Calorie]

PORK STIR-FRY

with CARROTS & SNOW PEAS

(low-calorie: about 350 per serving)

8 oz pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
3 Tblsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 Tblsp cornstarch
1 Tblsp honey
1 Tblsp tomato paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of black pepper
2 tsp canola oil, divided
1 Tblsp minced garlic
1 Tblsp minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen snow peas or green beans
1 cup carrot strips
2 Tblsp sliced scallions
2 tsp black and/or white sesame seeds

• Combine pork strips and 1 Tblsp soy sauce. Cover and refrigerate while preparing sauce.
• Stir together remaining 2 Tblsp soy sauce, broth, sherry, cornstarch, honey, tomato paste, 1 tsp garlic, ground ginger, and pepper.
• Preheat a wok over medium-high heat. Hold wok away from stove, spray wok with nonstick cooking spray. Return wok to stove top.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in wok. Stir-fry half of the pork until it's cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove pork to a plate. Stir-fry remaining pork; remove to plate.
• Add remaining 1 tsp oil to wok. Add 1 Tblsp garlic and fresh ginger; stir-fry 10-15 seconds. Add snow peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Return pork to wok; add sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Add carrots; heat and stir 1 minute.
• Serve stir-fry over white or brown rice; garnish with scallions. Sprinkle each serving with sesame seeds.

recipe directly from CuisineLite magazine, Spring 2013 edition

Coq au Vin [slow-cooker]

EASY COQ AU VIN 

[slow-cooker recipe]

(low-calorie: about 326 per serving)

1 8-oz package mushrooms, halved
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1-1/2 cups frozen pearl onions [or 1 white onion, cut into big chunks]
Non-stick cooking spray
5 to 6 large cooking thighs, skin removed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine [or red cooking wine]
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tblsp tapioca
2 Tblsp red wine vinegar
1-1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 cups hot cooked whole grain wide noodles

• In a 4-5qt slow cooker, combine mushrooms, carrots, and onions. Set aside.
• Lightly coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add chicken thighs to skillet, meaty sides down. Cook about 6 minutes or until brown, turning once. Add chicken to cooker.
• Add wine to skillet; bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from bottom and sides of skillet. Remove from heat. Stir in broth, tapioca, vinegar, herbes de Provence, garlic, the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Pour over chicken in cooker.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 5-1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours. [I recommend the high-heat setting. The carrots will still have a little bit of a bite to them still!]
• Sprinkle with parsley; serve with noodles.

recipe from Better Homes and Gardens "Skinny Slow Cooker" magazine, 2013

Sweet Potatoes w/ Crispy Prosciutto

SWEET POTATOES

with CRISPY PROSCIUTTO

1-1/2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato (1 large potato)
2 tsp olive oil
1 slice prosciutto or 1 strip bacon, diced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tblsp chicken broth
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tblsp fresh parsley, minced

• Cook sweet potato in a pot of water until fork-tender, 6-8 minutes; drain.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto, cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes. (if using bacon, omit oil).
• Stir in garlic; cook 2-3 minutes. 
• Stir in broth and salt; cook until broth evaporates, about 5 minutes. 
• Garnish sweet potatoes with parsley.

recipe directly from Cuisine Lite Spring 2013 magazine