Lemon Chicken in a Slow Cooker

This dish serves up seasoned, browned chicken breasts that are slow cooked with lemon juice, garlic, and chicken stock. It's a wonderful 'fix and forget' recipe that is easy and pleases just about everyone. Serve with rice or pasta, or eat with a salad.

Ingredients

·        1 teaspoon dried oregano

·        1/2 teaspoon salt

·        1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

·        2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

·        1 tablespoon butter 

·        2 tablespoons olive oil

·        3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and lemon slices (optional)

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        1 cup chicken stock

·        1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

  

Directions

1.   In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture into chicken. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown lemon slices and remove. Brown chicken in this for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken and lemon in a slow cooker.

2.   In the same pan, mix the water, lemon juice, garlic, and stock. Bring the mixture to boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow cooker.

3.   Cover, and cook on High for 3-4 hours, or Low for 6-7 hours. Add the parsley to the slow cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

4.   Serve chicken over a bed of whole wheat spaghetti, brown rice or leafy greens and sprinkle Parmesan on top!

Escarole and White Bean Soup for the last of our winter days...

Escarole and White Bean Soup                                                 servings: 6

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, sliced in 1" pieces
1 small red pepper, 1" chunks
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 head of escarole, easily found at the grocery store, coarsely chopped
5 cups liquid (I use a combination of broth, water, and veggie bouillon
1 can (12 oz) chopped tomatoes (OPTIONAL)
1 can (1 5oz) small white beans (though if you prefer, you could do cannellini/ Great Northern White beans
salt and pepper
grating cheese
bacon/ham crumbles (OPTIONAL)

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large soup pot.  Gently saute onion and red pepper  for 10 minutes, stirring often and lowering heat to prevent burning.  Next add your garlic.  Cook for about 30 seconds and add rosemary and pepper flakes.  Stir in escarole just long enough to coat with oil and begin to wilt 2-4 minutes.  Add in water, broth and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.  With 5 minutes left stir in beans (make sure you rinsed them first!) and salt and pepper to taste.  Turn heat off.  Add 2 Tbs of grating cheese and stir.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Serve.