Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

After making the Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken recipe from over at A Year of Slow Cooking, it was where I went when I was looking for a new chicken crockpot recipe. I decided to try the Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe and it was yummy! Head over there for her original post with pictures and all, but here's the basics with my comments.


I cooked up the chicken, mixed up the sauce & threw it all in the slowcooker in the early afternoon, but if you were going to be away from home all day and wanted to make this, I think you could easily cook up the chicken the night before (while doing other stuff since it doesn't take a whole lot of attention, but a fair amount of time, esp. if doing it in batches) and mix up the sauce, too. Refrigerate them separately overnight, then throw in the crockpot together in the morning on low.


1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks (Since the taste is so covered up, I used the IQF kind in a bag & did the whole 3 lbs.)
1/2 cup flour (or more)
olive oil, for browning the chicken
kosher salt - she calls for 1 Tbl., but I found 1/2 tsp. plenty for us, maybe because if the IQF chicken.
6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup

1. Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour, and shake off the excess. Toss the leftover, chicken-germy flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown the chicken on all sides. There is no need to fully cook it, just sear it enough for the flour to stick and get a nice coating. Doing more chicken, I ended up doing this is several batches. Since my girls don't much like things all mixed together, the last batch I cooked thoroughly & set aside for them to be plain.

2. Plop the chicken pieces into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and toss gingerly to coat. I found her recipe as is to be enough for the 2 or 2 1/2 lbs of chicken pieces I put in with it.

3. She says to cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4, but I found that since I'd already mostly cooked the chicken, I don't think it would necessarily need that long. I think I did 3 hours on high because I threw it together in early afternoon.

Serve over white or brown rice or couscous. I microwaved a bag of Asian-style vegetables to go with it that the girls ate separately (sense a theme here?), but I stirred in with the chicken & sauce.

Wednesday Fun #121 - Maybe not so fun...

Ok, today's the first day of Lent, and I suspect some folks who observe it are using it to work on a food goal. How about you (whether or not you observe Lent in a Christian/religious context)? Are you giving something up for the next 46 days? (Ok, 40 days, plus the 6 Sundays within Lent.) Maybe no caffeine for you? No sugar? No booze? The money you spend in the vending machines every afternoon going in the collection plate on Sunday instead or to your local food bank?

If you're doing a food-related Lenten goal, let us know. Or even if you've done a good/interesting/yay-you-successful! one in the past that you want to share, let's hear about it.

Wednesday Fun #120 - NALAPAK review

Nalapak vegetarian Indian Restaurant. This is the place I would recommend to anyone that claims vegetarian food is tasteless. They have great curries, breads, and everything else.

I really wanted to have their food again before I wrote this but I didn't make it... I'll have to correct that soon. I was trying to correct a health issue and couldn't eat much meat and boy was I glad to have Nalapak. Whenever I was craving rich and fulfilling food, this was the place to go... and I didn't have to feel guilty.

This isn't a place where I have one dish I go for, I've had lots of different things and they have all been good. The one thing I would always advise getting it the Channa Bhatura. This bread is great... puffed up and oily in a good clean way.

If you need some good tasty food this is a great place. Enough said.

Wednesday Fun #119 - Kitchen Cuteness

We haven't done a "Name 3" for a while, and I'm feeling a little dry for ideas & it's approaching suppertime. So how 'bout this? Tell us 3 things you like about your kitchen. I think we usually get stuck on the negatives or wish lists like more counter space, a dishwasher, I-hate-the-traffic-flow, dated whatever. Turn it around and focus on the positive. Maybe you love the view out your window when you're doing dishes. Relish the color you've painted it. Treasure your favorite container for oft-used utensils right by the stove. (Mine's one I made in a pottery class and it makes me feel accomplished every time I look at it!) ...Are glad there's beer in the frig?

What DO you actually enjoy about your kitchen? Tell us 3 things.

Wednesday Fun 118 - Key's Review

First let me say there a number of Key's and I have not been to all of them. I have been to at least four of them and they all have some things in common. Though this review will be most accurate to my "local" one, the Spring Lake Park location.

Key's is comfort food to the max. Portions are big and tasty with not much concern for making the food "Healthy". Most of the meals ring in for under $15 and if you leave hungry you are a very special person. I'm very fond of the Biscuits and Garvy (for breakfast), Meatloaf, and Apple Pie. I have tried lots of other dishes though and they've all been quite good.

The biscuits and gravy have fresh biscuits, like all their baked goods, and a salty fatty sausage white gravy. Maybe it's just cause it's a bit tough to find here or maybe it's good sausage available but flavor is on the level of good quality from down south. I'm adding weight just thinking about it.

I should probably reiterate, Key's isn't the place to go if you are looking for elegance and refinement. The meatloaf is smothered in brown gravy, moist, tender, and with a hint of sweetness. The only thing that could be considered a drawback is the side vegatables are cooked old school style, till they turn mushy. I actually like this, it fits with the style of the place, but if you like your green beans crisp that won't happen here.

Apple pie, made fresh. Need any more? They also have great cinnamon and carmel rolls and other great pies and cakes. Dessert is not a problem.

I went twice this past weekend and I'm ready to go back.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with a Chili-Garlic Remoulade

I made this for our progressive dinner on New Year's Eve. I had appetizers and we loved this. We had extra sauce and used it on hamburgers which we almost liked even more!

I got this from The Noble Pig's blog. She has GREAT pictures with things done step by step!

I cannot get a link to work again!! Here is the link http://noblepig.com/2008/10/17/devils-on-horseback.aspx



For the shrimp:
24 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared garlic-chili sauce
1 teaspoon salt
6 strips bacon, quartered
Wooden skewers

For the Remoulade:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon prepared chili garlic sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, finely chopped (both white and green parts)

In a non-reactive bowl, marinate shrimp for 15 minutes with wine, lemon zest, garlic-chili sauce and salt.

For the Remoulade, stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, chili-garlic sauce, green onions and salt. Cover and chill until serving time.

Quarter 6 strips of bacon in half lengthwise and then again across the middle. In other words, one piece of bacon will be cut into four strips.

Soak wooden skewers in water for twenty minutes before skewering shrimp. Wrap each shrimp in a piece of bacon, securing bacon with wooden skewer, neck to tail in a half-moon. Add three to four shrimp per skewer.

Position oven rack so the food will be 3-4 inches from the heat. Preheat broiler. I broiled the shrimp on low for about twelve minutes and I turned them three times for even browning. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE BROILER. Watch your shrimp very carefully. All ovens are different. My cooking times could be very different from yours. Just make sure shrimp are opaque and bacon is cooked through and crisp.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 jar salsa (I use a medium jar of medium salsa)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

Place beans, corn and half of salsa into crock pot. Add chicken and rest of salsa. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Top with cheese and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Personal preference of serving - layer on a tortilla with lettuce and sour cream! Other ideas - serve with rice... make a taco salad. YUM!

We have used this is tortilla shells. I usually just put the cheese on in our tortilla!!

Chicken Enchilada Ring

I am making this one for the football game this weekend!! We really like it and am hoping it goes over good for a group. I had it at a Pampered Chef party years ago and am now getting around to post it!!

Go Vikings!! (For those of us from MN!)

2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken (about 12 ounces)

¼ cup chopped pitted ripe olives

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Pantry Southwestern Seasoning Mix

2 plum tomatoes

1 lime

2/3 cup finely crushed corn tortilla chips, divided

2 packages (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 cup salsa

1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop chicken and olives using food chopper; place in bowl. Add cheese, green chilies, mayonnaise and seasoning mix.

2. Seed and chop 1 tomato. Slice lime in half. Squeeze juice from one half to measure 1-teaspoon juice. Reserve remaining lime for garnish. Add chopped tomato and limejuice to chicken mixture.

3. Reserve 2 tablespoons crushed chips; add remaining chips to chicken mixture and mix well.

4. Sprinkle reserved crushed chips cupboard. Unroll crescent dough. Place dough sticky side down, onto crushed chips; press down lightly so chips adhere to dough. Separate dough into triangles. Arrange triangles; chip dies down, in a circle on round stone with wide ends overlapping in the center and points toward outside. (There should be a 5-inch diameter opening in center.) Using large tablespoon scoop chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangle up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

For garnish, cup remaining tomato into 8 wedges. Cut remaining half of lime into 4 slices; cut in half. Arrange between openings of ring. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

White Chocolate-Candy Cane Cheesecake

I just made this. My sister-in-law made it for Christmas and I could not stop thinking about it. I have been wanting to try making cheesecakes and tried this one first. Brought it to the Vikings Game on Sunday and it was GONE!! Have been asked to make another one this weekend. (I might try another kind.) Will post if it is good.

What you need

1 cup HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

3/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3 eggs

4 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate, melted

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1/2 cup chopped candy canes

Make It

PREHEAT oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch spring form pan (or to 300°F if using dark nonstick 9-inch spring form pan). Mix graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp. of the sugar and the butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min.

BEAT cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in chocolate and extract; pour over crust.

BAKE 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Top with the whipped topping and chopped candy just before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator. (I topped with the whipped topping and put Andes peppermint candies on top.)

Wednesday Fun #117 - Procrastinators Unite!

Well, hello, you all! Fancy seeing you here!

Say, um, a while back I polled as to whether or not we wanted themes still. The response was overwhelmingly "sure, why not?" Well, I was thinking about it and pondering what to do for themes... and pondering what to do for WF... (these ideas don't just grow on an idea tree in my backyard, folks! I gotta thunk 'em up my own self!)... and I think this month the theme will be...

Anti-Procrastination Month!

(Also, fitting since I'm posting January's theme on, oh, the 20th)

(Yeah, I might have totally gotten the idea from Flylady's Anti-Procrastination Day on Wednesdays, but it still works.)


Got any recipes you've been meaning to post? Maybe a new one you tried over the holidays? Or one that's been in the back of your mind to put on here since, oh, well, way back last grilling season? We don't care what season or theme it might fit, we'd love to just see it!

So your challenge is to set your timer for 15 minutes, find the recipe, and get it posted! I bet it'll even take you less time than that. Or, if you're pressed for time at the moment, just find your recipe and stick it next to/on your computer. Then you'll see it and remember! And all of your fellow Recipeeples will be thrilled to read your new recipe.

(And you'll be glad it's not a niggling little reminder in the back of your head anymore.)