Pre-Holiday Easy Meal: Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo

This one-pot dinner is inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America.  Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo comes together easily, using your crock pot!

Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo

What can be better than a one-pot meal?  One that features chicken and rice!  Arroz con Pollo is one of my all time favorite dishes.  When it's holiday time I don't have the time or the inclination to fix complicated meals.  With all the work to be done to get ready for Christmas I'm always looking for simple and tasty dishes for dinner.  When I came across this recipe on EatingWell's site I knew that this would be the perfect fit for this hectic week.  

Ingredients bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and chicken are laced with Latin spices to create a sumputious saucy mix that cooks away in your slow cooker.  Brown rice is added later and gives this a healthy spin.  Latin flavored juicy and tender chicken with veggies served over a sauce soaked rice is mouth-waterningly good!  It's a dump and go meal that you can start around noon and 6 hrs later you have one heck of a dinner to serve.  

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• red, orange, and/or yellow bell pepper

• onion

• fresh garlic

• low sodium tomato sauce

• low sodium diced tomatoes

• reduced sodium chicken broth

• Spices: chili powder, paprika, cumin, tumeric

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• instant brown rice

• frozen peas

• cilantro

Substitutions and Variations

• Use white rice instead of brown

• Chicken thighs would work great

• Add additional veggies like chopped carrots, corn, or mushrooms

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Chicken can be removed to a cutting board and shredded and returned to the slow cooker.

• Instant rice is used for it's quick cooking ability.

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Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo

serves 8

3 large red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 15oz can low sodium tomato sauce

1 15oz can low sodium diced tomaroes, with juice

1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups instant brown rice

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

In a 6qt. slow cooker, combine bell peppers, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth, and all the spices.  Submerge the chicken into the mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours.

Stir in rice and peas.  Cover and cook 30 minutes more, until rice is tender.  There may stll be a little liquid in the pot.

Using two forks, shred the chicken.  Serve garnishing with cilantro.

source:  eatingwell.com

Cajun Pot Roast - Slow Cooker Heaven

Yum

Winter seems to have finally come to Southern California.  

In a time where most of the country was dealing with rain and snow we've been experiencing an unusually dry and hot winter.  Like 80's hot...crazy I know.  We're tired of the heat and we crave water so that we won't be in a drought situation but the weather doesn't want to cooperate.  Finally, last week we got what they called out biggest storm of the season and we had rain.  Quite a bit I might add, and it's actually really, really cold.  

Out came the coats and the slow cookers!  Time for some comfort food to eat on a cold winter's night. 

It's March and I missed Mardi Gras, but that doesn't stop me from craving Cajun flavors.  And when I want slow cooked comfort food I always think of my Mom's Famous Pot Roast.  So I decided to turn her pot roast into a Cajun flavored one.   Meat that is tender but spiced just right, surrounded by soft flavorful vegetables.  Yum!  This Cajun Pot Roast is a twist on a classic but will have your mouth bursting with flavor and craving more!

I typically use chuck roast or sirloin, or top round roast for my cut of meat.  However, you can use your favorite cut.  To get extra flavor in your dish make sure to sear the meat prior to putting it in the slow cooker.  It makes a big difference in the flavor so don't skip this step.  
My favorite slow cooker is this one.  I've used it for a couple of years and just love it!  The size is perfect and the features make this handier than your average slow cooker.  

This dish is a definite winner and should be part of your rotation.  Make sure to fix this soon and tell me how you like it.  As I write this it's raining.  Another storm has made it's way down to So. Calif.  Although is bone chilling cold, we need the rain, and I enjoy being cozy in the house on a weekend!  Keep warm, and pull out your slow cookers.  They are top notch in my book!

Enjoy!





Cajun Pot Roast

serves 4

2 Tbsp canola oil
3 lb chuck or top round roast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste

In a large skillet or in slow cooker on sauté mode, add the canola oil until hot and sear the roast on all sides until brown.  If using the skillet remove and place meat on the bottom of a slow cooker.  

In a small bowl add all the seasonings, through oregano, and mix.  pour over meat in slow cooker.  Add sliced onion, celery, garlic, bell peppers on top of meat.  Add the diced tomatoes with their juices over the vegetables.  Add the tomato paste toward the side of the pan to blend with the juices.

Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours.  Remove meat and shred or chunk and place back in the slow cooker.  Serve meat along with vegetables and sauce over mashed potatoes or rice if desired.

(This post contains affiliate links which offer me a small compensation for the purchase of products with no extra cost to you.)

Mother's Butter, Tomato & Onion Sauce

Being a foodie lover I'm also a knowledge junkie.

I confess that I love taking cooking classes.  You may think you know everything, but there is SO MUCH to learn from other chefs.  Even if it is just a technique or a tip that makes something simpler, or just makes things make sense.  It's worth it to always seek to enhance your knowledge about a subject.  

Recently I been taking classes online through Craftsy.  Have you heard of them?  They are wonderful online classes with various subjects, one being cooking.  So browsing the class topics I decided to purchase one by the famed chef Guliano Hazan on Classic Italian Pasta Sauces: Meat and Tomato.  

 (Excuse the messy bowl, I tossed the pasta and sauce in this bowl and should have swapped it out...but I was too impatient and hungry!)

The classes are videos taped in segments that you can watch at your own pace, rerun, and even have discussions with class participants and the chef himself.  I must say it is wonderful!  I learned so much more about making pasta sauces than I never knew before.  


Today I'm sharing the first sauce I made from the class.  It's called Mother's Butter, Tomato & Onion Sauce.  It's just that.  Tomatoes cooked with butter and an onion.  It's cooked down into a fabulous rich sauce that's best served over an egg pasta.  Try looking in the artisan section of the pasta aisle for something like egg fettuccine.  One other item he suggests is that you use San Marzano canned tomatoes (real San Marzano tomatoes) such as a brand like Cento.  Both are easily found in the grocery store, but if you can't find them, substitute with the best that you can find.   Since the ingredients are so few it is important that they be of the best quality to allow the flavors to shine.

This sauce is like comfort heaven!  I hope you try it and let me know how you liked it.  I also hope you check out Craftsy, I think it's a great site.  I can't wait to try one of Peter Reinhart's bread classes next!

Note:  This is not sponsored, I am just sharing my opinion of a site I came across that I think you would like.


MOTHER'S BUTTER, TOMATO & ONION SAUCE
From Hazan Family Favorites by Giuliano Hazan
Serves 4 people

INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups (31 ounces/907 g) canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juice
• 5 tablespoons (2½ ounces/75 g) butter
• 1¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 medium (6 ounces/ 170 g) sweet yellow onion
• Tagliolini made with 3 eggs and 2¼ cups flour (or 12 ounces dry store-bought narrow noodles)
• 1/3 cup (11/3 ounces/57 g) freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Coarsely chop the canned tomatoes. Trim both ends of the onion, peel it and cut in half lengthwise.

2. Put the tomatoes, butter, onion and salt in a 4 to 5-quart (3.8 to 4.7 L) saucepan and place over medium heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to a slow but steady simmer. Cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes are no longer watery and the sauce has reduced, 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the sauce is done the butter will have separated from the tomatoes and there should not be any liquid left.

3. When the sauce is ready, fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts (5.67 L) of water, cover, and place over high heat. When the water boils, add 2 tablespoons salt to the boiling pasta water, put in the tagliolini, and stir until all the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve at once.

Braciole - Tour of Roman Food

Ready to continue on our tour of Roman food?

Me too!

The other day I took an excellent class at Williams-Sonoma where we are touring Italy.  First stop was Rome.  We had a feast, I tell you.  I felt like an Italian mama cooking in a rustic kitchen for an large family gathering.  It was wonderful!  The class was hands-on so we really made our own meals.  This is such a great way to learn as you go.  So make sure to check out the schedule of classes for your local Willimas-Sonoma to see if they offer these wonderful classes.


Several days ago I brought you an excellent pasta, Bucatini all' Amatriciana.  Wow! that is some tasty pasta.  Today we are exploring another secondi, or main dish which is Braciole.  Pronounced (bra zhul).  Braciole are rolled slices of beef or veal that are filled with a savory stuffing and slowly simmered in a tasty tomato sauce.  Usually using a less than tender cut of meat that turns out fork tender when it's done.   

We used skirt steak as our meat, however flank, or top round would be a good choice as well.  I will tell you this dish is a little more involved with the preparation of the meat.  You add the stuffing and roll it all up, followed by tieing the meat to hold the stuffing in.  Once that is done you are almost there.  A little browning and sauteing and then adding the ingredients for the sauce and the rest is done with little attention from you.  The meat will braise in this wonderful sauce and become succulent and tender! Oh my, I'm getting hungry thinking about it. 

We ate this with a side of our Bucatini all' Amatriciana.  The meal was perfect, the beef was tender and full of flavor.  The filling...heaven.  You have to try this.  It's well worth the effort.

Braciole

serves 4

1 lb. skirt steak, top round, or flank steak, cut across the width into 4 slices

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 

4 slices prosciutto 

4-8 slices of provolone cheese 

2 Tbs. pine nuts 

2 Tbs. raisins 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 yellow onion, chopped 

1 cup dry red wine such as Barolo 

1 cup beef broth 

4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 can (15 oz.) chopped plum tomatoes with juices

1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces 

One at a time, place the beef slices between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently with a meat pounder until 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the pounded slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Lay prosciutto and cheese on each beef slice. Sprinkle the slices evenly with the pine nuts, raisins and garlic. Roll up the slices, tucking in the ends, then tie the rolls at 1-inch intervals with kitchen string.

In a chef pan or dutch oven, over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the beef rolls and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes total. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes longer. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom, about 2 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, turning the rolls occasionally, until the beef is tender when pierced with a knife,  about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check from time to time to see if the sauce is becoming too dry and add water if needed.

Uncover, scatter the parsley and basil evenly over the rolls, and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the rolls to a cutting board and cut into thick slices, removing and discarding the kitchen string. Transfer the slices to warmed plates, spoon the sauce over the top and serve immediately. 

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Italian by Michele Scicolone (Oxmoor House, 2007).

Red Wine and Rosemary Flat Iron Steak

 Company's coming!

One of my favorite dishes to make when company comes for dinner is something simple, yet elegant and tasty.  Meat and potatoes are called for! What's more hearty than that?

This dish is a favorite of ours and you can certainly swap out the Flat Iron Steak for another cut.  It's a versatile recipe and the flavor is all in the marinade.  What a great marinade it is.

Red wine and rosemary go so well together and really flavor the steak for grilling.  I used an indoor grill as we haven't broke out the grill outside yet.  It's calling me though.  But for now my trusty cast iron indoor grill works miracles!

I served these with Lemon Rosemary Roasted Vegetables.  Another easy dish to make, allowing you more time to spend with guests. Look for the recipe shortly.

All in all this is the perfect company food or family dinner.  You just can't beat meat and potatoes!
  
Red Wine and Rosemary Flat Iron Steak 

serves 4

2 (1-pound each) flat-iron steaks cut into 4 pieces
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup of dry red wine
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

In a bowl, combine garlic, parsley, mustard, olive oil, red wine, black pepper, and rosemary; mix together well.

In a shallow baking dish, season the steaks moderately with salt and pepper. Cover the steaks with the marinade mixture and cover the dish with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight. Remove steak from refrigerator and bring to room temperature before cooking.

Preheat the grill over medium heat. Place steaks onto the hot grill and grill to the desired degree of doneness, about 6 – 7 minutes on each side for medium.