Honey Sesame Chicken (Slow Cooker) and two other things . . .

First of all:

 Thank you - for leaving kind messages and emails for 

positive thoughts, prayers and good wishes as we ushered 

our sweet Black Labrador from this life. 

Please accept my deepest thanks.  

Your kindness and understanding has been so appreciated.  

A little more about our pal at the end of this post.

Second of all:

Blog connection problems!!

 With NO thanks to Blogger/Google.  :(

There has been a snafu with my domain name onceuponaplate1.com.

I am attempting to retrieve it, but in the meantime I've reverted

to "www.onceuponaplate.blogspot.com", so if you have had

difficulty getting feeds or connecting with my blog -- that is why.  

If you can change your address book/connection to 'www.onceuponaplate.blogspot.com'

we'll be able to keep in touch.

  

Thank you!! 

And enough of that business.

~*~*~*~*~

Ah, this difficult time and dreary weather seemed to cry out for comfort food, 

so when I happened upon this recipe I knew I wanted to try it.

Originally found at Baby Center (click), it was adapted by a another blogger 

Tessa @ Handle the Heat (click). 

Both versions looked good but

I wanted to pump it up slightly to give it more of an Asian edge, 

which we prefer, so I added a couple of tweaks to suit our taste.

The original recipe called for boneless/skinless chicken breasts... 

but for slow cooking I prefer boneless/skinless chicken thighs ~ 

they are more flavorful and can stand up to slow cooking more successfully 

than breasts. Thighs remain moist and tender during the long cooking period.

I followed Tessa's (Handle the Heat) recipe fairly closely, 

but I did make these changes:

- I tossed a couple of slices of fresh ginger into the slow cooker

- I used the ketchup called for in original recipe, 
(if you are avoiding corn syrup use an organic brand that does not include it.) 

(Or do as Tessa did and substitute tomato sauce.)

- Increased the garlic to 3 cloves, minced

- Increased the cider vinegar to 3 teaspoons (1 Tablespoon)

- Added a couple of splashes of Dry Cocktail Sherry 

(may substitute Mirin instead~ Japanese cooking wine for the sherry)

- Increased the sesame oil to 2 teaspoons

- Along with the scallion garnish I added fresh Cilantro sprigs

As always, I recommend you adjust the seasonings to your own taste, of course. :)

I hope if you try this recipe you'll love it. It reheats and freezes well 
(sans the garnishes), so you can make ahead and have it on hand.

 Simply warm it up and sprinkle with the fresh garnishes.  

Serve over rice, noodles, or your favorite grain.

It's also a fabulous filling for lettuce leaves or small sandwich buns.

You can find both recipes via the links above ... 

I believe you will like this method of preparing chicken.

~*~*~*~*~*~

(© original oil by John Silver, UK)*
Original is available, click the above link to learn more.

My Pal

The good news is the Veterinarian was 'off' in her estimate of 
the amount of time our pup had remaining.

Our boy actually enjoyed an additional several weeks of a good, 
happy life beyond what was predicted, tail wags and all. 

We made every effort to make sure he enjoyed each moment, 
doing things he liked, eating well, going for rides in the car, 
sleeping comfortably, being loved; he was able to remain 
free of pain and discomfort until the very end.

May we all have it so when it's our time.

Here is to 14 splendid years of love and companionship.

Not a mean bone in his body . . . he was a good boy.

The tough decision was made Monday morning February 3rd ~

he was such a wonderful dog, very much loved, 

is sorely missed and will remain forever in our hearts.

~*~*~*~*~*~

* ©The Art of John Silver, 

Fine Artist, U.K.

Please visit Mr. Silver's site, JSFA (The Fine Art of John Silver) 
(http://www.johnsilverfinearts.com/) to see more of his exquisite work.

You may order prints, originals, or contact to

perhaps commission an original painting.

Shipping is available worldwide from the UK.*

For more information:

http://www.johnsilverfinearts.com 

http://john-silver.artistwebsites.com

 http://www.johnsilverfinearts.co.uk

Disclaimer: Mr. Silver has no idea who I am; 

I receive no compensation for recommending his work. 

I'm just a fan, entirely captivated by his incredible talent. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Thank you for coming by today friends!

I wish you peace and happiness.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Chicken Enchiladas (Slow Cooker Mexican-style Chicken Meat and Seasoning Mix)

Today I'm sharing my favorite Mexican-Style chunk/shredded

chicken that can be used in a variety of ways.

The good news is ~ 
It can be made in your slow cooker.
You can make just what you need 
or make plenty as this freezes really well.  
Just portion into freezer safe containers or plastic bags 
in the amount you'll need for each meal.

Use it for filling for:

Enchiladas

Tacos

Tamales

Taquitos

Quesadillas 

or in 

Mexican-style Chicken Salads
Mexican-style casseroles
Mexican-style Soups (Caldo de Pollo)

Nachos

Chilaquiles
Mexican Sandwiches Tortas

Spanish-Portuguese-style Migas

Empanadas

Colombian and Venezuelan-style  Arepas
In omelettes and frittatas
Also really good served warm over rice with melted cheese.

To season the chicken you can use a commercial

packet of Taco seasoning ~ but I really recommend making

your own.

 It's very simple, just combine the dry ingredients (you probably already
have them in your spice collection.)
This tastes much better than the commercial version 
and you know just what goes into the seasoning you make. 
You can control the degree of spiciness you prefer, 
as well as the salt content. 
Plus you can avoid preservatives, chemicals and artificial colors.

 For the Taco seasoning mix recipe Click here.
I always quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight jar 
and keep it with my spices.


To cook the chicken using the slow cooker:

Click here for the Mexican-style Chicken (Slow Cooker) recipe

You can use the chicken pieces you like best. Some prefer
boneless chicken breasts, but I prefer using bone-in, skin-on for
the extra flavor those pieces provided. (After the chicken is cooked
the bones and skin are easily discarded, then I skim any excess
surface fat with a spoon ~ or you can chill the boned/skinned cooked
chicken and broth and lift the solidified fat from the broth.)

If you are using 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, 
this can usually be ready in less than 3 hours. 
But this depends upon the amount of chicken you are cooking,
the size of your slow cooker and if using boneless chicken
or not.

When using other pieces, I do cook longer to compensate for the

thicker pieces and bones, beginning on high for a couple of hours, then
shifting to the low temperature setting.

I cook until the chicken is very tender, until it easily be pierced, 
and using forks or your fingers, can easily be removed from the bones 

(but I make sure not to overcook so it remains moist and

flavorful, not dry and stringy.)

You can see that if I'm going to freeze some of the meat, I don't really shred it, but leave it in chunks. 
The quality seems better when frozen in larger chunks 
(If I use it shredded, I do so just before adding to the recipe.)

Here it is again, already to eat or use in your favorite recipes, skinned, 
boned, broken into large chunks after cooking. 
I de-fat the delicious, flavorful broth and spoon some over 
the chicken that will be eaten that day.

I divide the remainder, spooning it over the cooked, chunked chicken 
in each container before freezing. 

Besides being ready to use in your favorite recipes, 
it is delicious served over rice, or rice and beans. 
You can use some of the broth to flavor the cooking liquid for your 
rice and beans, too. 
I divide the remainder, spooning it over the cooked, chunked chicken 
in each container before freezing. 

The recipe for the seasoning and directions for slow cooking the chicken
can be found here. 
(Again, I always increase the amounts so I can have plenty of left-over chicken and broth to freeze.)


I don't freeze many things besides homemade soups/broth, marinara,
and pizza/bread dough, but I do freeze this. It is so handy to have on hand,
and tastes delicious even after freezing.







And here it is transformed into simple Chicken Enchiladas ~
for this version, I just warm some to the cooked chicken in a pan with
some broth, dip the corn tortillas in hot oil (until they are flexible) and
drain them on paper towels.  While still warm I fill the tortillas with
the chicken meat and roll them*. 

Secure with a toothpick if necessary and
place in baking dish (or place them in baking dish, 
seam side down so they do not unroll.) Spoon some enchilada
sauce** over and sprinkle lightly with shredded cheese.
Cover very loosely with foil and warm in a preheated 350ºF oven 
until hot throughout and cheese garnish has melted. This
only takes about 5 to 10 minutes if you've filled the tortillas
with warm chicken.

*May add shredded cheese with the chicken filling, but I didn't this time.

**For the Enchilada Sauce you may~

Used a canned commercial enchilada sauce; your favorite brand.

or

Here is a Red Sauce recipe I've shared in the past.

or

My favorite way for sauce

when making this version of enchiladas:

Use some of the broth from cooking the chicken--
chop a fresh onion, saute in a pan with hot oil until tender,
but not browned. Place the cooked onion in the container of
a food processor or blender, 
add some of the broth from the cooked chicken along with 
some jarred salsa (choose your favorite brand.)
Whiz until smooth, adding chicken broth to make it desired
consistency ~ taste and adjust seasonings.

Tip:

To serve~

You might want to offer the following at the table, for
those who want to make them "supreme":

 grated or crumbled cheese --your favorite kind
sliced or diced avocado --or guacamole
diced/chopped tomatoes
fresh cilantro
sliced green onions
pitted black olives, sliced or halved
sour cream,
salsa or hot sauce 

I hope you enjoy!

Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Two Lemons ~ A Tribute to Marcella

Hello Friends~   It was with much sadness that we fans of Marcella Hazan learned of her passing on Sunday morning, September 29th. 
I cannot begin to express how I admired Marcella and appreciated how much she shared with us through the years. 
With thoughts of Marcella I wanted to share one of the first recipes of hers that I ever made so many years ago after watching her prepare it on television in  San Francisco. 

This is a repeat of a post that I published a couple of years ago, the chicken remains one of my all time favorites.

From the moment I heard of this method of preparing a roast chicken well over 20 years ago,  this has remained one of my family's favorites. It is definitely my personal favorite, and if I could only roast a chicken using one method for the rest of my life ~ this would be it!  It's that good.

If you are fortunate enough to get a chicken with skin entirely intact (no tears, or holes) ~ near the end of roasting time the skin will puff up dramatically and have become crispy while the chicken beneath the skin remains juicy and succulent ~ as this one did. (But by the time I got the camera out it had deflated, no worry though because the chicken is delicious just the same.) Perfectly flavored whether served from the oven, or at room temperature.

It's a classic and simple recipe from one of my favorite cooking teachers and cookbook authors, Marcella Hazan.

One whole chicken, two lemons, salt and a little freshly ground black pepper produce some of the most succulent pieces of chicken you may ever taste. I love Marcella's recipes, and although some may seem to be quite an undertaking because of the length ~ please don't let that put you off. It simply appears so because Ms. Hazan is such a great teacher that she explains each step and exactly why they are necessary to produce the desired results, which is enormously helpful, especially for a new cook.

   

The method is simple ~ rinse the chicken well, inside and out. Allow to drain for a few minutes after rinsing, then blot dry with a cloth or paper towels. Remove any visible bits of fat in the cavities of the bird and salt generously, inside and out. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Roll the lemons between your hands or on a counter to help release the juice. Poke the lemons many times with the tines of a fork or a wood pick. Place the pricked lemons inside of the cavity of the chicken and secure with a couple of tooth or food picks. I tie the legs together with a bit of twine to help keep the chicken compact and the lemons in place. Then roast, at first breast down, then turn over to continue roasting until done~ the chicken is self basting, no need to add fat or to baste.

     

Serve along with the succulent juices ~ and you'll probably taste one of the best roasted chickens you've had in your life.

Hint...Hint...Hint:

Sometimes the skin of the chicken breast will stick to the pan during the first part of baking (as the chicken is roasting breast-side-down.)
To prevent this~  
I cut a small piece of parchment baking paper, brush with olive oil or butter and place it on the roasting pan beneath the chicken breast where it makes contact with the pan.  When it is time to turn the bird over to continue baking (when breast side is UP) just remove the parchment paper. Yay! No stick, and NO torn chicken skin.

Forever grateful to Marcella Hazan for all she has shared! I have several of her books, which I value highly ~ here is the first I ever purchased and I recommend it. 

~*~*~*~*~
You probably noticed I roasted the chicken in one of my favorite cast iron skillets.  Not fancy at all, but of all the roasting pans I have... stainless, porcelain, Le Creuset or Staub ~ I reach for my Lodge cast iron skillet almost every time for small roasted meats like this - just as my parents and grandparents did before me. It's just large enough to add a few potatoes and/or carrots around the meat while roasting. 
Readily available almost everywhere (amazon.com has a good selection)  Lodge Logic-- comes already pre-seasoned.  Just hand wash it and it is ready to use.  I love my collection of great quality cookware ~ but I would never part with any of my black cast iron ... they heat evenly and are indestructible workhorse pieces in my kitchen.
The actual recipe:

I haven't asked for permission to share the exact recipe, but you can find it HERE on the Internet.  If you try it, I hope it becomes one of your favorites, too.
Thank you for stopping by today ~ and I would love it if you would leave me your thoughts or any comments, I cherish each one. 



~ Rest in heavenly peace, dear Marcella. ~  

Hot Chicken Meatball Sandwiches with Marinara, Mushrooms and Cheese

Remember those Cheese Stuffed Chicken Meatballs I posted about earlier this year?
I've made them a couple of times since then, and most recently I used them to make these hearty meatball sandwiches. 
I had some of the chicken meatballs in the freezer  so I just thawed them and warmed them up before assembling the sandwich.
If you saute the sliced mushrooms, warm the marinara and meatballs and keep everything warm while preparing the rolls, the sandwich assembly takes only minutes.
These require a sturdy rolls, a split and sliced baguette, or bolillo rolls. I used Telera rolls from the store (similar to bolillos, but a bit softer.)
It's best if you toast the cut side of the rolls under the broiler element of the oven until golden brown. After lightly toasting, I spread cut side of the rolls  with garlic butter and popped them under the broiler for another few seconds, then placed the cheese on the roll, and placed  under the broiler again until the cheese just began to melt.)  I used provolone cheese, but anything goes ~ your choice. If you like peppers ~hot or mild, by all means, add some.
I find the sandwiches are easier to manage if you cut each meatball in half (no rolling off of the bun.)
Just layer the rest of the ingredients any way you wish and enjoy. I serve them with a sharp knife and fork for easier eating ~ but if you're brave you might prefer eating them as you would a traditional sandwich, and with napkins!
Since it's summer and basil is growing, I tucked in a few leaves. If you don't care for it, or it's not in season just omit.
Thank you for coming by today I hope you're having a great week!
Bon appétit !
~mari

Mystery Ingredient Club ~ Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives

Foodie Friday and our 1st

Mystery Ingredient Club Event~

hosted by Michael @ Rattlebridge Farm!

Click here to learn more. I apologize that I am a little late to the party, due to scary wildfires in our area ~ they have interrupted everyday routines, to say the least.

Michael very generously sent each of the participants 3 ingredients to use in any recipe we chose. We could pick one, two or three of the ingredients. (Thank you so much for your generosity Michael!)
I decided to use all three mystery ingredients,  but in separate recipes ~ so I will be posting the other two in the next few days.

I chose the Preserved Lemons to use in my first dish: 



I had been wanting to try this recipe from Tyler Florence (which has received great reviews) for quite some time, so this was my chance.



It is a dish inspired by flavors from the middle East, and it didn't disappoint.
Note: You do not need a tagine to make this dish. I didn't make it in the tagine, I simply transferred it for serving at the table.


One of us (not me!) is not really fond of traditional brined green olives ~ so I used these instead:

I found them in the refrigerated case at Costco, I've also bought them from the olive bar at the grocery store. As the label says, they are very mild, with a pleasing buttery texture.




The recipe doesn't require that you bundle the chicken with twine, but I like to do it sometimes for a neater presentation.




The chicken is absolutely melt-in-your-mouth tender, and very flavorful.




To serve with it, I also made Tyler Florence's recipe for Apricot and Orange CousCous.   click and scroll down His calls for scallions, instead I snipped some chives from the garden.
We loved it!  I served toasted Marcona almonds on the side as a garnish.



I loved this combination of ingredients (I didn't picture the onion, cumin, cloves, saffron, or red pepper here.) I added generous slices of fresh ginger, which I removed before serving.


Would I, should I prepare it again?
Those of us at the table responded with an overwhelming ~
YES!



You can usually tell how much I like a particular dish by the number of images of it that I share. 
(It's a dead give-away with this one!)    :o)



Check in tomorrow for my next entry for the Mystery Ingredient Club, using mystery ingredient #2. It's another winner.
~*~*~*~*~

Please come see all of the recipes at:

(Click image.)
Thank you for stopping by today!