In Response to Meal Plans

Let's see....

First of all, keep in mind that a lot of my 'recipes' don't have actual recipes I go from. They've just sort of been adapted over the years. Feel free to ask me if you need clarification on any of them.

Jodi - the crock pot chicken mole recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes. I'm not sure if it's copyright infringement to post it here - hopefully not, since I cited my source. I've never tried it before and to be honest I haven't been completely enthused about the recipes in the book. But then again, I barely ever use my cook books. I just read them. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Mole with Chicken and Rice (remember, the thing about mole is that it has A LOT of ingredients - that what makes it special)

1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c slivered almonds, toasted
3 cloves garlic, quartered
2 canned jalapeno peppers, drained
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
3 T raisins
1 T sesame seeds
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground coriander
2 T quick cooking tapioca
1 2 1/2 - 3 lb broiler-fryer chicken, cut up and skinned
2 T slivered almonds, toasted (for garnish)

Hot cooked rice.

Blend all ingredients except tapioca and chicken in blender until mixture is a coarse puree.
Add tapioca to slow cooker. Add chicken and then sauce. Cover, cook on low for 9 - 11 hours or on high heat for 4 1/2 - 5 1/2 hours.
Serve with with rice. Pour sauce over chicken.


Michele -
1. I LOVE Trader Joe's!! The pizza dough is in in the refrigerator section, as is the pizza sauce we use. (they have both jarred and refrigerated) We used to always buy the garlic herb dough but have been enjoying the plain old processed white flour variety as of late. They also sell 'Almost Whole Wheat' which I contemplated buying today. We usually top it with pepperoni (also from TJ's), artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta and a bit of cheddar or mozarella. Steele loves it too.

I think I bought that Soyaki sauce for the potstickers we bought there. If it's the same stuff - yum!


Stacy -
1. Beans are so easy and so yummy and can be low-fat or no-fat. Not like the ones at the restaurants made with lard. My family has made these for years - originally it may have been from my aunt who worked at a Mexican restaurant in San Diego when she was like, 20. Nothing tastes like homemade refried beans.

'Refried' Beans

In the crock pot add:
2 lbs of pinto beans
16 cups water
3-4 slices of bacon cut into small pieces (you can omit this if you want)
1/4 - 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

Cook on high for like 8 hours or on low for about 24 - really, just cook them until they're done and have thickened. You will have to mash them a bit at the end or just before they're done. Add salt to taste. You'll probably have to add more salt than you think. Sometimes I add a bit before they're cooked and a bit at the end. This makes a really big pot - I used to freeze some of them until I had kids who eat them by the bowlful. I add all sorts of things to Adia's - sweet potatoes, squash - everything.

All righty.... that's it for tonight. I'm so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open. The Newton's Folly Granny Smith Draft Cider from TJ's might have something to do with it....

I promise, I'll post the rest tomorrow. And I'll even throw in a recipe for the DEE-licious bran flax muffins my friend Karen gave me. I made them tonight and they turned out great.

I can't believe I'm blogging about recipes. I really am an adult...