Crockpot Hoisin Chicken

 
I love my crockpot, but I have to be honest, I have a hard time finding good chicken recipes for it.  So often the chicken ends up really dry.  Whenever that happens I am so disappointed, but I'm not willing to give up on chicken in the crockpot.  When I saw Cookin Canuck's recipe for Hoisin Chicken in the crockpot I immediately gave it a try.  It was super juicy and the flavor was good, but I made a few tweaks to suit my family's tastes and to minimize dishes (my favorite thing).

For those of you who aren't familiar with Hoisin sauce, it is a thick, dark, sweet sauce used in Chinese cooking.  My first introduction to Hoisin sauce was as a little girl with the minced chicken lettuce wraps at Panda Inn, yum yum!  It is the star of this Crockpot Hoisin Chicken, but the soy sauce, ginger, and chili garlic sauce keep it from being too sweet.

It has been super hot here so the crockpot allows us to have a delicious homemade dinner without me standing over a hot stove or heating up our house with the oven.  This Crockpot Hoisin Chicken is also incredibly easy to make.  

Start out by spraying your crockpot with cooking spray and then putting some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom.  To be honest, I'm not sure if you need the cooking spray, but I always use it when I'm cooking with my crockpot to make for an easy clean up. 

In a large liquid measuring cup combine your sauce ingredients.  You will need soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chicken stock, a little bit of honey, some minced ginger (I used a frozen cube from Trader Joe's), and some chili garlic sauce.  We don't like things very salty so I used low-sodium soy sauce and chicken stock.  Mix all of your sauce ingredients together and then pour it over the chicken.

Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken is cooked through.  The amount of time will depend on your crockpot and how big your chicken breasts are.  It took mine about 2 1/2 hours.  Once the chicken is cooked through, take it out of the crockpot to shred it. 

Combine some corn starch and water and then stir it into the sauce in your crockpot.  Add the shredded chicken back in, give it a good stir, and continue to cook for about 30 more minutes so that the chicken can absorb some more of that delicious flavor.  If you are nervous about dry chicken because your crockpot has let you down in the past, do not worry.  Look how juicy that chicken is!

I served mine with our favorite brown rice and quinoa blend and some steamed broccoli.  This chicken is so flavorful and delicious.  The next day I made a little salad with the leftovers, some lettuce, a little rice vinegar, some extra Hoisin, and a few peanuts.  No matter what you pair with this Hoisin chicken, it is absolutely delicious!

Crockpot Hoisin Chicken
Adapted From Cookin Canuck 
 

• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbls. honey
• 1 tsp. minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
• 2 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbls. cornstarch
• 2 tbls. water

1. Spray your crock pot with cooking spray and place chicken in the bottom.
2. In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup combine soy sauce, hoisin, sauce, chicken broth, honey, ginger, and chili garlic sauce.  Pour over the chicken.
3. Cook on low 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken and shred it.
5. Combine the cornstarch and water and stir it into the sauce.  Put the chicken back in the crockpot and continue to cook about 30 more minutes so it has a chance to absorb the sauce.

Quinoa, Beet, & Pistachio Salad

I love beets but they've always been something I've ordered out rather than cooked at home because I didn't want to deal with the hassle or the mess of cooking them myself.  Enter the beauty that is Trader Joe's.  They have these wonderful, ready to eat, peeled and cooked beets.  I love them!  I usually just eat them with goat cheese and salad dressing but I wanted to make a full meal with them.

Recently my mom was out visiting and bought a trio of nut oils.  One of the three was pistachio oil and I've been trying to decide what to do with it.

I finally came up with this Quinoa, Beet, & Pistachio Salad.  It is so, so good!  The quinoa gives protein so it is a complete meal.  Goat cheese is my favorite thing to pair with beets and it works beautifully in this salad.  Adding in some pistachios gives it crunch and some fresh arugula adds a peppery bite.

Start out by making some quinoa.  If you want to keep it vegetarian then cook it with water or vegetable stock.  I had a little bit of chicken stock that needed to get used so I cooked it in that with a few shakes of garlic powder.

While the quinoa cools, cut the beets into bite-sized wedges.  Then start your dressing.  Combine some pistachio oil, red wine vinegar, garlic salt, white pepper, oregano, a little dijon, and a clove of garlic.

Toss the quinoa with the dressing.  Add in the beets, some goat cheese, a few handfuls of arugula, and some pistachios.  Mix it all together and lunch is ready.  Enjoy!

Quinoa, Beet, & Pistachio Salad

• 2 1/4 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup dry quinoa, 1 1/2 cups liquid)
• 1 8-oz. package peeled & steamed beets
• 1/4 cup pistachio oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachio pieces
• 1 to 2 cups arugula

1. Cut beets into bite sized wedges.
2. Make dressing: Combine pistachio oil through garlic.
3. Toss quinoa with dressing.
4. Add beets, goat cheese, pistachios, and arugula.  Toss until combined. 

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Warm Lentil & Arugula Salad

It's no secret that I love Trader Joe's.  They have so many wonderful products that make my life easier.  This recipe takes advantage of several of them.

My sister's neighbor gave her this really easy recipe for lentil tacos and while I love it, I think it is actually even better as a simple salad.  Just a few ingredients and you have a healthy and delicious vegetarian meal perfect for when you are short on time.

Start out by heating up a little olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add in a container of TJ's chopped onion, garlic, and shallot mix and saute until the onions are translucent.

Add in a package of pre-cooked lentils and use your spoon to break them up.  Add in some salt and pepper and a little cayenne if you want a bit of a kick.  Stir it every so often until the lentils are warmed through.

Put a bag of arugula into a large serving bowl.  Squeeze on the juice of a lemon, some olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and some shaved parmesan, romano, asiago mix.  Toss this all together.

Add the lentil mixture to the salad mixture, give it a quick toss, and lunch is served.

Warm Lentil & Arugula Salad

• 1 package onion, garlic, shallot mix
• 1 package pre-cooked lentils
• 1 package arugula
• 1 lemon
• 1 container shaved parmesan, romano, and asiago
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• cayenne (optional)

1. Heat 1 tbls. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add in onion, garlic, and shallot mix, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
2. Add lentils to onion mixture, breaking them up with a spoon.  Add salt, pepper, and cayenne (optional) to taste.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until warmed through (about 5 minutes).
3. In a large bowl combine arugula with the juice of the lemon, 2-3 tbls. olive oil, the container of cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.  Toss well.
4. Add lentil mixture to salad mixture.  Toss and serve. 

I'm linking up with Thrifty Thursday, Link Party Palooza, Pin Junkie, Best of the Weekend, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Weekend Potluck, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Craftastic Monday, Busy Monday, Monday Funday, Two Cup Tuesday, Lou Lou Girls, Tips & Tricks, Mad Skills Party, Create Link Inspire, Made By Me, Tasty Tuesday, Whimsy Wednesday, Create It Thursday, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Project Stash, and Showcase Your Talent Thursday.

 

Arugula, Sun Dried Tomato, & Feta Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is one of my favorite party foods.  When I throw a birthday party, I tend to go all out (check out my Cars and Superman parties here: 1, 2, 3, 4), so I like foods that can be made in advance and don't need to be served hot.  This arugula, sun-dried tomato, and feta pasta salad is one I turn to again and again.  I regularly get asked for the recipe so I thought I would post it on here so that everyone can make it.

What really sets this pasta salad apart is the dressing.  It's based on a salad dressing that my stepmom makes.  The trick is a combination of two vinegars, red wine and rice wine.  A lot of pasta salads use a pre-made dressing but homemade dressings are super easy and make a huge difference.

Start out by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the pasta.  I used penne this time but any short pasta you like is perfect.  While your pasta is cooking make the dressing.  Combine some extra-virgin olive oil with equal parts rice wine and red wine vinegars.  Stir in a little dijon mustard, dried oregano, onion salt, and pepper.

Drain the pasta and then toss with the dressing while it's still warm.  Refrigerate the pasta until it is cool then add in a container of feta with mediterranean herbs and half of a jar of julienned sun-dried tomatoes.  I got my feta and my tomatoes at Trader Joe's.

Toss it all together and refrigerate until ready to serve.  You can make it to this point the day before.

Right before serving, add in about half of a package of arugula and toss it all together.  Then sit back and wait for the compliments to come rolling in.  This is the perfect pasta salad to bring to a barbecue this holiday weekend.

Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomato, & Feta Pasta Salad

• 1 lb. pasta, penne or other short shape
• 4 oz. oil-packed julienned sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 oz. package crumbled feta with mediterranean herbs
• 3 1/2 oz. arugula

For Dressing:

• 3 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbls. red wine vinegar
• 3 tbls. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. While pasta cooks whisk together all dressing ingredients.  Drain pasta and toss with dressing while still warm.  Cover and refrigerate until cool.
3. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and feta and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Right before serving, add arugula and toss well.

I'm linking up with Wednesday Whatsits, Wake Up Wednesdays, Whimsy Wednesdays, Made By Me, Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Pin It Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Pin Junkie, Moonlight & Mason Jars, T.G.I.F., Link Party Palooza, Best of the Weekend, Weekend Potluck, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Craftastic Monday, Monday Funday, Busy Monday, Two Cup Tuesday, Tips & Tricks, Create Link Inspire, Mad Skills, and Lou Lou Girls.  

True Food Kitchen Kale Salad

Several months ago a friend and I met for lunch at True Food Kitchen.  On her recommendation I ordered their kale salad and absolutely loved it.  The restaurant isn't very close to me so I decided I would try to make it at home.  Luckily, they have their recipe online.   It is just as good at home as it was in the restaurant.

I made a few changes to the recipe.  True Food calls for using homemade bread crumbs and while I don't doubt that they are wonderful, I don't have the time or inclination for that.  Panko works great as a substitution.  I also used less breadcrumbs and less parmesan.

One of my favorite things about this salad is that it is good for days.  Most salads are gross the next day because they get soggy.  Kale is the exact opposite.  If anything it gets better with time.  I love to make a batch of this and then eat it for lunch all week long.  I usually serve it with a little grilled chicken for protein since I am pregnant, but it is delicious as is.

Start out by tearing up your kale, discarding the tough ribs.  My store didn't have Tuscan Kale so I bought the bag of organic, chopped Tuscan kale at TJ's.  If you do what I did, it is a little more labor intensive because you have to pick through it all to strip the ribs whereas if you buy it by the bunch you can just hold the whole leaf and strip it all the way down.

Once you have your kale prepped, mix up the dressing.  In a liquid measuring cup combine the oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Then pour this over the kale and toss to combine.  It will look slightly overdressed at this point, but trust me, it isn't.

Next add the parmesan and toss it again.  Now let it sit for about 5 minutes.  Finally add the breadcrumbs and toss again.  Let it sit again before serving.  I prefer to make it the night before.

As you can see there are only a few ingredients so it is important to use high quality ingredients.  This means extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and good parmesan.  I like to use Trader Joe's grated parmesan and romano blend.  I hope you love this salad as much as I do.

Kale Salad
Adapted from True Food Kitchen

• 4 - 6 cups torn Tuscan kale leaves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• salt & pepper to taste
• generous pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 

1. Tear up the kale leaves, being sure to remove the ribs, and place in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Then pour over the kale and toss well.
3. Add parmesan cheese and toss well.  Let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Add panko and toss well.  Let sit at least 5 minutes or overnight.

*Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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