Slow Cooker Moroccan Roast Chicken

I have been working seven days a week and try hard to make a complete meal every night. This is a great recipe that you could re-create many different ways. Feel free use any seasonings or veggies for the recipe and give it your own spin.

Ingredients-

1 Butternut Squash

1/2 Cup White Raisins

3 Carrots Slices into Rounds

1 Red Bell Pepper Slices

Juice of One Lemon

1 Onion Chopped

1 Full Chicken

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

1 Tbs Paprika

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tbs Moroccan Seasoning Blend

Start by placing the squash, onion, pepper and carrot in the slow cooker and mixing with half the salt and pepper. Now on a plate coat the chicken with oil and the remaining salt, pepper, paprika, cinnamon and Moroccan seasoning. Place chicken in slow cooker and pour lemon juice all over the whole thing. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve on top mashed potatoes or rice. *Remaining juice can be made into a great GF grave by heating in a pot with corn starch.

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Chicken Pop

No matter what your making it will always taste better if it looks better. Any simple recipe can be taken up a step if you make it eye appealing. This recipe is a play of my famous chicken wing but done in a whole new way.

Ingredients:

20 Chicken wings separated keep only the drumstick half
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 Tbs Onion Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Pepper
2 Tbs Paprika

Start by taking each chicken wing drum stick in one hand and a sharp pairing knife in the other. Gently slice the small tendon either side on the bone on the long skinny side. Then using the knife scrape the meat up towards the fatter end on the bone. Your trying to create something of a broccoli shape. Repeat this with each wing and then place in a bowl. Toss with olive oil and coat each wing well. Next, add all the seasoning and gently toss everything together coating everything in all the seasoning. Place each wing on an oiled and foiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes then flip each wing over and cook an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot and have fun plating the wings with different sauces and styles. Enjoy!

Check out a clip of me making this recipe in the video section of my blog.

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Balsamic Chicken

I am always looking for new fun ways to make a quick week night chicken. This is a great spring Italian recipe that you will want to make over and over again!

Ingredients:

1 Pound Chicken Breast Cut into 4 Pieces

1/3 Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tomatoes

1/2 Cut Cut Fresh Basil

1 Tbs Olive Oil

2 tsp salt (separated)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Start by pounding each piece of chicken with a mallet to help flatten. Dust chicken with pepper, garlic powder and half the salt in a large bowl. Pour balsamic over chicken and allow chicken to marinade for 2-4 hours in fridge. Once chicken is ready, place each piece on a hot oiled pan. Cooking each side for a few minutes until brown. While chicken is cooking dice tomatoes and in a bowl combine with basil, olive oil and remaining salt. Its important to do this last because tomatoes will start to break down as soon as they are cut and salted. When your ready to serve place each piece of chicken on a plate of top with the tomato salad.

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Tomato Salad

Tomatoes in season time to create a salad. Nice light salad in a bread bowl with impress any group.

Ingredients:
2 Tomatoes ( Seeded chopped)
1/2 cup Basil Chopped
1 Tbs Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsb Salt
1/2 Pepper

Start by placing chopped tomatoes, oil, parmesan cheese, basil, salt, peppers in a bowl and mix. Now slice gluten-free roll in half and remove a little bit of the inside, spray or spread olive oil around outside and toast for a fee minutes. Remove from oven and fill with tomato salad. Serve as is.

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Pineapple Pork

One of Jays favorite foods is BBQ pork and I wanted to replicate it in a fun way for the bakery. This recipe is supper easy and would be great in taco’s or on sliders.

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Pork Tenderloin
1 Bottle BBQ Sauce
1 Can Diced Pineapple (separate juice from pineapple)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Onion

Start by coating pork with salt, pepper and onion. In a bowl mix BBQ sauce with pineapple chunks and about half the juice. Put both the pork and sauce in a slow cook and look on low for 8 hours. Then remove lid and pull meat apart with forks. Allow sauce to thicken by continuing to cook on high with out the lid for about 30 mintues.

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Italian Market Quinoa Salad

I love getting together with friends and creating a new recipe that I know everyone will love. I use quinoa for a lot of what I do but this recipe combined a lot of my favorites in one great dish. I am alittle spoiled with the italian market one block away. I have access to some ingredients that are very special.

Keep in mind I made this recipe to feed a crowd so feel free to change the amount if need to.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Raw Quinoa
3 Cups Water
1 Large Bunch Basil Chopped Fine
2 Bell Peppers Chopped
1/2 Pound Fresh Mozzarella
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Agave
1/4 Pound Sun dried Tomato in Oil

Start by toasting raw quinoa in a hot pan. After a few minutes add water and salt. Bring to a boil and allow Quinoa to cook. While cooking chop mozzarella, basil and pepper. Separate tomatoes from oil, chop and add to other chopped ingredients. Save remaining oil to dress salad at the end. Once quinoa is done allow it cool while fluffing with a spoon occasionally. Once cool add quinoa to the mix of other ingredients, add agave and start adding oil from tomatoes one Tbsp at a time until everything is evenly coated. Mix well and enjoy!

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Cucumber Salad

A simple and refreshing salad for a hot day.

Ingredients-

1 Large Seedless Cucumber Chopped
1 Container of Cherry Tomatoes Quartered
1 Lemon
1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Agave or Honey

Start by place lemon juice, salt, pepper, oil and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk together well. Then in a big bowl combine cucumbers and tomatoes. Slowly add dressing and mix together gently. Let it sit in fridge for at least an hour serve cold.

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Tasty Bite

One of the best parts of what I do is getting to review new products. I love coming home to a new new package of goodies that I get to try and play with.

Last week I received a box of Tasty Bite Indian items. The each item comes in its own shelf stable and microwavable bag. Prep is simple, just cut a slit in the bag and microwave for 1 minute. You can eat right from the bag in a rush or get a little fancy pairing with some rice, veggie, bread or protein. As much as I love to cook, I am also very busy. The idea of having something super easy, gluten free and healthy is a dream come true. The best part is that this stuff is GOOD!!!

Most items are around $3.50 each and you get them all on-line at Tasty Bite Store.

One night I came home late, grabbed the bag of Bombay Potatoes and heated in the microwave. Paired it with a scrambled egg and was simple amazed. In the gluten free world it is so hard to find anything quick to eat that is pre-done, healthy and taste good. Tasty Bite is on to something great!

Since my boyfriend loves Indian food I decided to get creative and made a nice meal for us in minutes. Starting with the Tasty Bite Vegetable Korma that I heated in the microwave. Then, on a pan I quickly cooked 3/4 Pound of medium shrimp with a little salt and pepper. Added the Korma to the pan and simmered for a few minutes on low heat. Served with rice and a salad. We have a complete meal in minutes and it was even better then take-out.

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Carrot Salad

I get asked to make this one for a lot and it is a great, easy recipe. I am always into anything that I know would get kids to eat a veggie and just makes eating a salad something different.

Ingredients:

4 Carrots Grated

¼ Cup Greek Yogurt

1/3 Cup White Raisins

1/2Cup Shredded Red Cabbage* optional for color

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Honey* Optional

½ Tsp Cinnamon

Mix the grated carrot with everything and allow it to chill in the fridge for an hour. The raisins will soak up the yogurt as it chills. Serve as a side or add some grilled chicken for a fun summer salad, enjoy.

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Salsa Chicken and Rice

I am always looking for recipes that take little prep and are a good use of anything extra laying around. I always have rice and salsa sitting around so this recipe created its self.

Ingredients:
3 Cups Rice Cooker
2 Chicken Breast Cut Into Large Chunks
1 Cup Salsa
1/2 Tbs Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Cup Grated Cheese Optional

Start by seasoning chicken with salt and pepper. Next pour in salsa, rice and cilantro. Mix all together making sure separate any clumps if rice. Pour mixture into a sprayed casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on too and bake at 350 degrees. Cover for the first thirty minutes and uncover or the final 15. Total cooking time should be 45 minutes. Enjoy!

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