Halibut/Fish Supreme

I have been making this recipe since we lived in Alaska. Our good friend Rob would make it and it was fantastic! He kindly gave me the recipe and we make it often and think of Rob and Jen a lot! Though Halibut was a little hard to come by in North Carolina, I learned it works well with Amberjack and other firm white fish. It also does great in the crockpot! I will post the adjustments for that below. But this recipe is delicious and has my mouth watering just thinking about it and I am not much of a fish person!

Halibut/Fish Supreme

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon diced onions(I like more so I add about half an onion)
1/8 tsp  cayenne pepper( I use a cajun seasoning called "Slap ya Mama" Though I really suggest you NOT slap your mom, she might slap you back! )
2 pounds Halibut steaks ( I used Amberjack or any firm white fish I have on hand)

Preheat oven 425 degrees Lightly grease a baking dish
In a bowl, Mix the cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, flour, lemon juice, onion, and cayenne pepper. place the fish in the dish and cover with the cheese mixture.Bake 10 minutes in oven THEN REDUCE heat to 350 degrees and bake 15 -20 minutes more, till fish is flaky. I like to serve it with potatoes.

~To cook this in a slow cooker, I layers my seasoned  potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker, then I put the fish on top, topped it with the cheese mixture and I cooked it on high for 3 hours. My topping didn't get golden brown like I like it so I quickly transferred it to a broiler safe pan and broiled it for a few minutes till it was golden on top. This was a great way to fix dinner before a baseball game and come home to a yummy cooked dinner.

*I have not tried this on LOW in the slow cooker, so I don't know if it would work as well for LONG cooking times.

Slow Cooker Peach Butter

What do you do with a whole case of peaches that are getting smooshy and soft? Make peach butter! I have always been intimidated by the phrase "butter". Apple Butter, Peach butter, Pumpkin butter. Which is kind of silly since real butter is really easy to make! Especially if, like me, you leave the heavy whipping cream to long in the mixer. There is a fine line between thick cream and butter and I seem to cross it.... A LOT! Probably because I try to do to many things at one time. But in the past I have always thought fruit butters are hard to make. I mean the Amish make them and sell them so in my mind that means it must be difficult. But today I am glad to prove my thought wrong!

The other day Keith came home with a crate full of peaches. Sadly we didn't realize that if you have them in a fridge and then take them out and leave them they get soft. What a waste, I thought.  But I decided to slice and freeze them for smoothies which my boys love, so I did. While scanning some recipes on Pintrest, where now days everything is getting you in the mood for Fall, I saw a few for Slow Cooker Apple butter. I am a sucker for Slow Cooker recipes so I read it. Then I read all the comments. People raved about how easy it was and how delicious it came out. One comment caught my eye. It asked "Can you use this recipe with Peaches?" There was no reply but it got me curious. I started to research peach butter recipes for the crock pot and HAPPY was I to see that there were several..... Hundred. But I went with the one with 5 stars. How can you go wrong with that? Thankfully this recipe was worth ever star it got. It was easy and DELICIOUS! I am now interested in making my own and trying all the butters! Pumpkin, Apple and whatever other kinds I can find! Seriously this was so delicious! So easy! I am not intimidated any more! So I am now going to share this amazing recipe so you can save money and make your own peach butter! When I try the other fruit butter recipes I will post those too.

Peach Butter
5 lbs Peaches (fresh, frozen or it said you could use canned)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp all spice (this was NOT in the original recipe but I like this flavor)

Peel the peaches( I didn't because my peaches were frozen and it still turn out nice) Core and chop them. Put them in a food processor or blender. Puree till smooth. Add to crock pot and add all ingredients. Mix well. Cook on low 6 hours or till it is thick and brown. I stirred it a few times during the time. I also cooked it about 2 hours more because it was kind of runny. Probably due to them being frozen. Let cool and place in the jars. If you want to seal them, process in a water bath for 15 minutes. With this recipe I got a little more then 2 pint jars. I sealed to and left the rest in my fridge for Breakfast.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It was delicious!

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Well today I tried a new recipe today and it was one of those iffy ones that I didn't really know how it would turn out. Well if an empty crockpot is any indication of how my family liked this, then I am adding this to the book of favorites! I was looking through recipes and saw this one that you put frozen chicken in for 6 hours. If you are like me, I always forget to get the frozen meat out the night before, so when I saw this was a from frozen to cooked, I'm going to try it. It turned out AWESOME!

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

2 chicken breast still frozen
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes(do not drain)
1 can corn(do not drain)
1can black beans(I used half because my boys don't like them much)
1 package ranch dressing powder
1TBSP cumin
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1pk(8on) cream cheese
Put chicken crock pot. Top with all ingredients except cream cheese. Mix well. Top with cream cheese. Cook on low 6-8 hours stirring during cooking. Shred chicken when done and add back to chili. Serve with rice or tortilla chips or taco shells. Serves 4

Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken

I love rotisserie chicken! I love all the flavors, the crunchy skin and I love Stores that have them HOT and ready to go so you don't have to think of something for dinner. But living in the bush there are no stores that have them hot and ready to go and I don't have one of those cool Rotisserie Ovens either. But I found this recipe that says it is JUST like Rotisserie chicken except you cook it in the Crock Pot. So I saved it and save it and saved it. I never tried it. Mostly because Whole chickens are a little hard to come by here. Yes I could use grouse(a small bird) or Ptarmigan (another small bird) but since this winter we have not found many, this was not really an option. But thankfully the last time we were in town shopping, we bought a few whole chickens and brought them out. I kind of forgot we had them till I was re-arranging my freezer. So I pulled one out and planned to try this recipe. Keith was a little skeptical of my seasoning ability. He is usually the one who seasons any meat we are eating. He is also one of those people that don't need a recipe and everything they cook turns out yummy. Unlike me, who has to follow a recipe till I know it well enough to branch out on my own. So despite his weird look that I was going to season it, he let me. Then I prayed that I would not mess this up and that it would taste GREAT. If not my life as a seasoner would be finished! I know that is a lot of pressure on ones shoulders....hehehe. I just hoped my chicken would taste great and I would not have to admit that I can't season meat. But thankfully this recipe worked great! The chicken literally fell off the bone. It was actually really hard to get it out of the crock pot with out it falling to pieces. Though the skin was not crunchy when I took it out, I put it under the broiler to give it a nice crisp.

I am so glad this chicken turned out so yummy and my kids gobbled it up. Plus I set it up in the morning and had a long day at our local Spring Carnival with snow shoe races, ski races and dog sled races. And yes, to us in Galena, that is considered  Spring... anyways. After a long day, it was wonderful to come home to a cooked meat and all I had to do was make up the sides. So if you don't have one of those cool rotisserie cookers, you can make a delicious chicken in your Crock Pot! Try it! Easy and delicious! It is wonderful!

Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken
1 whole chicken
2 TBSP paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix all spices in a small bowl. Add water by the teaspoonful to spices mix till there is a paste. Rub paste all over the chicken. Inside and out. I even did what my husband does and cut a few small slits into the breasts and rubbed spices in that too. That gives more flavor to each bite. Coat chicken well with paste. Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray and place chicken in pot, breast side up. Cover and cook 6-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

Lari's Queso

This recipe is a family tradition every year at Christmas. When we are in Texas for Christmas we always have tamales and Mexican food at my Aunt Lari's house. This is the stuff I look forward to eating. She always makes it and it is always in the crockpot and hot and delicious! I could eat this all by its self as the main meal! So delicious!  I love this stuff and can't wait to get some at Christmas.  It is great for Large parties. You can half the recipe for smaller parties because this does make a lot!

Lari's Queso (this is a BIG recipe, if you want to half it you could)
 2lbs Velvetta
1 pound sausage (browned)
1 pound hamburger(browned and I think she puts taco seasoning in it)
8 oz cream cheese
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 cream of mushroom soup
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can green chillies
Brown meat, and put all ingredients in a crock pot. Turn on and let it melt all together. Stir occasionally.  You can melt it over the stove and then put it into the crock pot to keep it hot. Get the chips ready! DELISH!!!

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Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Today it is a brittle -10 and tomorrow is expected to be near the -30's. And when I say brittle, I mean that anything that is plastic breaks when you move it! Extension cords, toy dump trucks, sleds, they all are breakable and brittle at that temp. So today on this brittle day we are having this soup. Though tonight I am going to try this with taco meat instead of chicken, mostly because I have plenty of moose but have a small limited supply of chicken. This is a flavorful soup and perfect for cold nights like tonight!

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 chicken boneless chicken breasts.(Or 1 lb taco meat cooked, I am actually using stew meat)
2 cans Rotel tomatoes (if you don't have rotel you can use salsa)
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 onion chopped
2 cans chicken broth
1-2 cups water
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP ground cumin
1 TBSP dried cilantro
tortilla chips(you can bake cut corn tortillas to make crunchy chips too)
sour cream
Cheese Mexican blend or cheddar.

Put chopped onion, cans of beans, Rotel, corn, broth, water and spices in Crockpot. Stir to mix. Put chicken on top of mixture. Make sure they are partly submerged in liquid. Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours. Before serving, take chicken breast out and shred. put back in soup. Stir and serve. Put chips on the bottom of bowls, ladle soup over  and top with cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala & Naan Bread

Indian food is one of my favorite kinds of food to eat. I love the spice and flavor of each dish. One of my favorite dishes to eat is Chicken Tikka Masala with Naan Bread. I have a few recipes for Chicken Tikka Masala but this one is a Slow Cooker one which you can put it in the pot in the morning and eat it for dinner. I love slow cooking. So today I am going to share the slow cooker version that I have enjoyed. And the Naan bread is DELICIOUS!!

Slow Cooker Tikka Masala
8 boneless chicken tenders(I think chicken thighs would be more juicy)
4 cloves garlic minced
1 onion diced
2 TBSP ginger
1 can tomato puree(29 oz)
1 1/2 cup yogurt( I used sour cream because I don't have yogurt)
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP Graham Masala
1 TBSP cumin
1/2 TBSP parika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp black pepper
1-3 tsp cayene pepper.( I omit this because my boys don't like it too spicy)
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
3 TBSP corn starch

Cut chicken in cubes. Mix all the ingredients EXCEPT Bay leaf, Heavy cream and Corn Starch. Coat the chicken well. Put in crock pot, sprinkle the remaining spices on top of the chicken. Add bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. (4 hours on High) When done whisk together cream and corn starch. Pour in pot and stir gently. Cook 20 minutes more. Serve over Rice

Naan (Indian bread)
1 pk active dry ingredients
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP milk
1 egg beaten ( I use egg replacer and it works great!)
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cup bread flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes till frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt. Add cups of  flour till forms soft dough. Knead 6-8 minutes till smooth. Place dough in well oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, set aside to rise. 1 hour. Punch down dough and knead in garlic. Pinch off handfuls of dough about the size of golf balls. Roll into balls and place on tray. Cover with a towel and allow to rise. double in size about 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. (I use the Pancake griddle)After 30 minutes. Roll out balls into thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, cook 2-3 minutes on one side till puffy and light brown. Brush uncooked side with butter and turn over and cook. Brush cooked side with butter. Remove from grill.

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken and Sweet Coconut Curry Bread

Even though I grew up in Zambia, went to a boarding school in Kenya, and traveled around many countries there are many places I have never been. So I am not the best one to judge an authentic dish unless I have been there, but I do judge my dishes by how many people think something is delicious. I am always up for new dishes and I love to try different foods from around the world. This year I decided to home school my son Kaden, who is in Kindergarten. So with school added to the list of things that have to be done in the day I went on a quest for easy slow cooker recipes. Something I can throw in the pot in the morning and let it be done by dinner. I am not big on testing out new recipes on friends until I have tried them myself, but so far it has worked out every time I have a new recipe to try,  someone show up for dinner. That is a common occurrence at my house. I usually even throw in extra just in case someone might drop by for dinner. Totally fine with me. I love having people over. Maybe that is because that  is the way my Mom and Dad raised me. My house is always open and I like it that way. But with people dropping by, I don't have a lot of time to try out my new recipes, so my friends become my guinea pigs. So far I have quite a few that my family and friends have said "Wow this is good!" When my husband says "Add this to your favorite recipes and make it again" I do!  This recipe is one of the added to my favorites. Super easy and super tasty. Again I have never been to Morocco or tasted food from there so I can' not tell you if it is authentic or not, but it is delicious! I also made this Coconut Curry Bread that was gobbled up fast! I love the curry flavor that is baked into the bread. These two recipes compliment each other really well. Hope you enjoy this recipe.  

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

Carrots- Sliced (I used about 4 big ones)
1 onion chopped
3-4 pounds chicken cut up  (I used chicken breast because that is what I have but thighs would work great and be more moist then just chicken breast.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins (I didn't have these so I used craisins)
2 TBSP flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper
Put carrots and onions in crock pot. Sprinkle chicken with salt add to slow cooker. Top with apricots and raisins. In a small bowl combine flour and broth till smooth.whisk in tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours till chicken is tender. Serve with couscous or rice. Serves about 6 people.


Coconut Curry Bread( FYI this is not a very sweet bread)

1 cup warm water
2 tsp yeast
2 cups bread flour
1 TBSP dry milk
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP butter
1/3 cup Raisins (Again I used Craisins because I don't have raisins)
1/3 cup coconut
2 tsp curry powder
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add remaining ingredients mix well. I use my Kitchen Aid. cover and Let rise in a oil coated pan till double in size. Then Put in greased loaf and let rise again. Bake at 375 till golden brown. I think this was about 15 minutes.