Slow Cooker Marmalade Curry Chicken Recipe

It's the first day of school. The baby is at my feet playing with computer cords and chewing on my slippers. She's crawled in and out of her sisters' room a few times, and seems genuinely surprised that they aren't there to shove her back out. The American Girl dolls smell faintly like spit-up.

I don't know anything about this.

nothing at all.

Here's a super simple chicken dish you can throw into the pot before you head out the door to conquer the world. Or the PTA.
same thing.

The Ingredients.
serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs
1 (18-ounce) jar orange marmalade (it can be sugar-free organic if that's the kind of thing that makes you happy. it's all good.)
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I didn't find this hot. if you've got a wussy palate, don't use so much.)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chicken broth

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the marmalade with the dry spices and chicken broth. You'll end up with a slimy orange gel that smells like ginger. Pour this on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for about 4. If when fully cooked the chicken isn't quite as moist as you'd like, you can cut it into strips, then return it to the pot to soak in even more of the yummy sauce. Serve over brown basmati rice.

The Verdict.

The chicken gets a neat brown shiny glaze when it's cooked in this sauce. We all really liked the flavor, and there was hardly any left for my lunch the next day. Danielle, who's an EMT in New Jersey sent me this recipe. She really likes how she can rely on the crockpot to deliver a healthy, hot meal with very little time invested on her end. There's no chopping in this meal, but if you'd like to throw in some carrots, onion, or celery---go for it!

Thank you, Danielle!!

other quick and easy chicken dishes:
margarita chicken
brown sugar chicken
apricot chicken
bacon and cheese chicken
balsamic chicken w/ veggies
chicken parmesan
chicken cordon bleu
cream cheese chicken
salsa chicken

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Hawaiian Ribs Slow Cooker Recipe

I've been on a real rib kick lately. Our family has been taking mini roadtrip vacations during the weekends, and have been tasting ribs. I try really hard to order non kid-menu food for my kids when we travel, and also try to steer clear of chain restaurants (sometimes easier said than done). The two favorites of the summer are (both on the CA coast, I'm sorry!) Aptos Street Barbecue and McClintock's (we went to the one in Pismo Beach).

or you can make ribs at home. in the crockpot. because the barbecue is scary, and my friend Georgia just needed to get a hair cut because she CAUGHT HER HAIR ON FIRE while testing the grill.
ugh.
When she told me what happened, I asked: did you stop, drop and roll? she replied: No. I patted and screamed.

bwhahahaha!!!

but not really.

The Ingredients.
serves 4

2 pounds boneless beef short ribs, or about 4 pounds babyback ribs
1/3 cup gluten free soy sauce (LaChoy or Tamari Wheat Free)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice powder (I'll put a recipe to make your own down below)
6 cloves minced garlic

Chinese 5 Spice Powder recipe:
(mix spices well, and store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed anise seed
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

The Directions.

If you're using boneless ribs, they will probably fit nicely in a 4 quart slow cooker. If you've got bones, you'll most likely need a 6-quart.
Put the ribs into the cooker, and top with the sauce mixture. If you really want to, you can combine all the sauce stuff in a little bowl and then paint it onto the ribs, but that seems like a lot of work. They'll be fine if you just dump everything on top. They'll be fine if the meat is frozen solid, too. Mine was!
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4 to 5. Flip the ribs over a few times before serving to cover evenly in the sauce. The longer and slower you cook the ribs, the more tender the meat.

The Verdict.

These ribs are fantastic. I served them in the backyard (far away from the bbq!) with corn on the cob (you can do corn in the crock, too!) and a big salad. They were sticky and sweet, and the normally tough meat fell apart nicely. The kids ate their ribs in the wading pool, making clean up super easy. :-)

more slow cooker rib recipes:
barbecue ribs
korean ribs
greek ribs
lemon pepper ribs
orange chipotle ribs
red ribs
use your slow cooker as a smoker!

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Slow Cooker Mulligatawny Soup Recipe

According to CNN, the real life "soup nazi" featured in the famous Seinfeld episode is reopening his soup stand. I read that he had closed it because of possible franchise opportunities.

There's no need to wait in line for hours and risk getting yelled at. You can make Kramer's favorite soup at home, in your pajamas, in your very own slow cooker. And it's easy. I assumed there would be a ton of ingredients, be difficult to assemble, and too much work to want to make often.

I love it when I'm wrong.

The Ingredients.
serves 6
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (frozen is okay)
1 cup peeled and chopped apple (mine were fuji)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried minced onion flake
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons curry
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup long grain white rice (to add later)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken thighs into the bottom of your cooker, and add apple, carrots, the whole can of tomatoes, onion flakes, and raisins. Then add the lemon juice, spices, and broth. Stir to mix the spices.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. If you'd like, shred the chicken with two big forks, and stir in the uncooked rice. Flip to high for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. If you live in a high altitude, the rice will take longer and you might want to consider using instant or already cooked rice---it's up to you.

Ladle into soup bowls.

The Verdict.

Gosh this is good. The curry and nutmeg pairs so nicely with the sweetness of the raisins and the apple. The end result is sweet but still savory, and my kids LICKED THEIR BOWLS. My dad loves this soup, and I'm so happy to be able to make it now whenever he'd like. The ingredients are pretty much pantry staples in our house, which is a total bonus.
I'm not a good counting calories or points person, but this has got to be pretty light. If you'd like the nutrition breakdown, many of my readers love the free counter at sparkspeople.com.

Good choice, Kramer! I can see why this soup is your favorite.

more yummy soups:

African Peanut Soup
Albondigas (meatball) Soup
Coconut Curry Soup
Restaurant Tomato Soup
Pho
Tortilla Soup
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup

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