Greek-inspired Crock Pot Chicken and a whole lotta other stuff you can call "food for thought"

Trying to keep things interesting (food wise, you sickos!) on a budget, with a family of 6, isn't all that easy. Recently I participated in a "pantry challenge" for 30 days where all I could use to create three meals a day were the items already in my pantry, freezer and 'fridge, with the exception of perishable that needed to be purchased like veggies and meats as needed. It became more like a pantry raid and each meal - especially dinner - became something along the lines of an episode of Chopped. Well, Chopped minus items like gummy brains and lamb fries but with the added challenges of screaming toddlers, bat-sh!t crazy cats and dogs and a cranky teenager congregating in the kitchen while you try to work.

Come to think of it, that would be an AWESOME episode idea. I'd love to see seasoned chefs do what we SAH-ers do every night!

I digress. The challenge had me looking at two things very differently: 1. The amount of processed food I had in my stores that had a shelf-life of "yes, it's good for eternity" and 2. The lack of want in this house. In both cases we are very blessed because we had enough in the pantry to last us the entire month of January. I also gave myself a chance to really look at what I had put away and come up with new ideas to re-purpose a lot of what I had and to research idea on how to recreate many of the packaged spice mixes, pastas, etc. to save money and cut out a lot of the preservatives. I HIGHLY recommend doing a similar challenge of you can. Involved a group of friends - you'll be amazed at what group-think can do when it comes to dinner!

Now, let me be serious here. Before you all start to think I am one of "those" people who is a no-preservative-processed food-refined flour and sugar-nutbag I need to say this: I'm not. I am NOT about to start making my own cranberry juice. Sometimes you just HAVE to have the Kraft Mac & Cheese with all its delicious yellow cheesiness and Spongebob shapes. There are times when you NEED MSG in your life. That being said, all things in moderation, right? If I can avoid MSG and its ilk in every meal than the occasional indulgence makes me feel less Mom-guilt. I am all about lessening the Mom-guilt as I am kind of an expert in heaping it on myself.

So, back to making things interesting. We eat a LOT of chicken here. Like, I buy two of the big bags of BJ's frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (BSCB's) every three weeks. I don't know about you, but BSCB's lack a lot of things besides bones and skin... like flavor and moisture. I also don't have a lot of time to get crazy in the kitchen without running the risk of injury to myself or others so I am trying to become besties with my crockpot. Creativity is a must. So I have made my own taco seasoning and used it on the BSCB's and on fish sticks for tacos (another post for another time) and today I decided to try my hand at creating something more along the lines of a Greek-style chicken in the crockpot for dinner tonight. You never know how things are going to turn out at Casa de Stewart and, thankfully, we have had only a few missteps. I am equally thankful for the fact that I have some very adventurous eaters in my family!

The kitchen right now smells amazing and the sauce I created for the chicken tastes pretty darn delicious. Here is what I am looking at and I can't wait for dinner:

I built a batch of dry seasoning and put it in a shaker for the future, as an FYI, because I happened to have the herbs here in the kitchen already. So, here is my recipe for "Greek-inspired Crock Pot Chicken." I will be serving this with hummus, pita, crumbled feta, chopped romaine and Roma tomatoes to let la familia make their own salad or wraps (the toddlers are very fond of wraps and dipping sauces). Let me know if you decide to try it for yourself, how you liked it and if you made any changes.

Dried seasoning: 

2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp EACH garlic powder and onion powder
2 tsp EACH ground black pepper, dried parsley and smoked paprika
1 tsp EACH iodized salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and thyme

Mix together and store in an airtight container. Makes about 1/2 cup of seasoning

Greek-inspired Crock Pot Chicken:

3 large BSCB's, cubed (not too small, this is going into the crockpot and you don't want it to fall apart completely)
1/3 c. dried seasoning
1 1/2 c. chicken stock (homemade, boxed or a tub of the Knorr chicken stock mixed with 1 1/2 c. water)
1 lemon zested and juiced

Cut up chicken and place in a bowl. Toss with dried seasoning and set aside. Mix together stock, zest and lemon juice in crockpot. Add chicken coated in spice mix. Cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours or until cooked through if your crock runs hot like mine does.

Serve warm or cold with your choice of sides. Rice, quinoa, pita, etc. Make it fun. As I  mentioned before, we will be having ours with thick pitas warmed in the oven and topped with hummus (store bought this time), tomatoes, feta and romaine lettuce.

Enjoy - I know we will be!!

-- TAM

Tuesday is really a Monday when there is a holiday at the start of the week. And OH! Did we have a case of the Mondays.

09-October-2012's offering is from www.marthastewart.com and yields 6 large servings:

Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
• 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Olive-oil, cooking spray
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
3. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish (4 inches deep) with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.
4. Cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.

*****

Nothing like a Monday-feeling to make dinner time extra interesting. Monday's tend to be easier days for us because there is only one activity in the morning for one twin and none in the evening - leaving me plenty of time to figure out dinner and make it. Only a few problems with yesterday:

1. Oops. It's Tuesday.

2. That means swim lessons for the other twin at 10am. Swim lessons for the 12 yr old at 5pm.

3. Every last baby in this house has refused a nap. Morning or afternoon.

4. Hubby has a man-cold.

3. It's now 3pm and I have no plan. Crap.

Naturally this is a perfect time to look up a new recipe and run to the store for those items I don't have. I am a genius.

So, remembering the twinadoes are mac & cheese aficionados (AND extremely sleep deprived and hungry at this point) I decide to look online for a good M&C recipe that is kiddie approved. Instead, I happen upon M&C made with butternut squash and ricotta cheese. I wasn't totally sold but the picture sure looked good:

So, it looked like the M&C the wee ones are used to (due to the orange squash) AND it has the added benefit of hidden veggies. Seemed to me that we couldn't go wrong here. Plus there was cayenne pepper for a kick. I like kicking things: balls, people who annoy me, etc. My cooking style isn't much different. Didn't seem too difficult, either, so I figured that this was dinner tonight! So, here is a rundown of how the meal prep went and how it was received:

3pm: realize you are missing ground nutmeg, shredded sharp cheddar,  breadcrumbs and all-spice (for tomorrow's meal). Announce to Hubby (with man-cold) you are leaving for the store. Wave happily to the 3 screaming babies with runny noses. Nod to 12 yr old as he comes home from school and toss a "do your homework!" over your shoulder as you bolt for the door. 

3:05p: stand in Shaw's produce isle trying desperately to remember what it was that you needed because you forgot the list at home. Pull up recipe on iPhone. ("Why did I need all-spice, again?")

3:55p: smile (growl?) at the sweet checkout lady while she rings up your purchase. Blame your supermarket ADD because you have more than you came in for. Ugh. 

4pm: Pull up to house and, from the street, hear screaming coming from inside. Rush in with your  bags  because you think someone is on fire. Realize that Hubby is missing (had to take a work call and moved upstairs to do so), the babies are screaming because Barney is no longer playing on TV and the poor 12 yr old is trying to entertain the 7 month old who is crying for a bottle. 

4:01p: drop bags. Open baby gate for twins to come into the kitchen and "help." Mix up bottle for baby. As 12 yr old if he has all of his things for swim. Take baby so he can get his things. 

4:02p: stop twins from emptying bookcase in front room while quickly peeling and chopping squash and throwing in pot with other ingredients as directed. Distract twins with a fun whisk/saucepan song and dance number while filling another pot with water and setting it to boil for the macaroni. Almost forget to add salt, but remember! Oh, and you are still holding the baby.

4:05p: while pouring macaroni into pot of boiling water, break up twin fight over whisk and pan. Banish everyone under 3 feet tall to the living room. Run back into kitchen and pour milk into 2 sippy cups and return to the living room with them and the baby. Sit and feed the baby his bottle.

4:10p: Hear the timer for your squash. Put baby in his "ring of neglect" (aka jumperoo). Ask 12 yr old to keep an eye on things while you're in the kitchen. Turn Spongebob on TV. Run. 

4:11p: mash squash, drain macaroni, mix with other ingredients, spray pan, pour in M&C mixture, cover with foil, throw in oven, set timer, shout for 12 yr old to stop watching Dragonball Z because the twins are screaming due to Spongebob not being on anymore, notice you forgot to preheat oven. Pull dish out of cold oven, set to 375. Resume breaking up twin fight over tin lunchbox, finish feeding baby his bottle. 

4:30p: Suddenly remember turning the oven on. Run to toss dish into oven. Set timer for 20 minutes. Let dogs out, while reminding 12 yr old that he still needs to get his stuff together for swim. Take dogs outside to do their business. 

4:40p: text hubby (who is still upstairs) that he needs to come down NOW so you can take the 12 yr old to swim practice. Announce to 12 yr old that he needs to "GET YOUR STUFF FOR SWIM NOW OR YOU'RE NOT GOING!" Wave to Hubby as you sneak out of the door, hoping the little dictators don't notice your exit. 

4:50p: Drop 12 yr old off at the Y. Tell him you'll meet him outside at 6p and that you love him. Drive off. 

5:00p: arrive home. Hear screaming from inside again before you have even gotten out of your car. Make plans to run away from home. Snap back to reality and man up, go inside and make it work.

5:01p: pull foil off of baking dish, return to oven and reset timer for 30 more minutes. Realize that the poor kiddos are so nutty because they are hungry. Throw Easy Mac in microwave for 3:30 and then cook 2 hotdogs for :45. Clear off table and set for little hands. Collect twins and "wash, wash, wash" their hands. Wipe boogers. Ask Hubby to help with feeding time. 

5:15p: Set delicious prepared food in front of twins. Watch them eat the heck out of it while you feed the baby his apple sauce and oatmeal medley. 

5:40p: Wrap up dinner with the babies. Give chocolate milk for dessert and win toddler award for Mother of the Year! Check on M&C in the oven, see it is getting brown on top and bubbling. Good. Smile. 

5:45p: Tell Hubby *HE* is giving the babies a bath. Hand him the baby. Run to get the 12 yr old from practice.

6:00p: Pick up boy. Text Hubby to please turn off oven. 

6:10p: Pull up to house. No screaming this time. Get txt from Hubby that he needs towels, diapers and diaper cream. Go into house, pull out M&C from oven. Grab twins and head upstairs to put on pj's while Hubby bathes the baby. Begin bedtime routine. 

7:00p: sit down to M&C with butternut squash. Decide that it's a little dry but good and make plans to do it again, maybe with bacon. The 12 yr old has no idea there was squash in it and the Hubby commented that he liked the sweetness of it. I thought it was delicious and the topping was perfect. 

***

Wow. I am tired just reading that. Anyway - The twins got a chance to try the M&C this afternoon for lunch. At first they seemed to like it:

 Interest waned quickly:

I blame 1yr old attention spans and not the taste of the meal itself. 

All in all this got a big ole HUZZAH! from the Stewarts and we are planning on entering this into our regular rotation with the aforementioned bacon. Enjoy and let us know what you think of it, too!

Yours, 

TAM