Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (87 page)

Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice

Kelly Evenson

Pittsboro, NC

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-4½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 cup uncooked converted white rice

28-oz. can diced peeled tomatoes

6-oz. can tomato paste

3 cups hot water

1 envelope dry taco seasoning mix

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, uncooked and cut into ½” cubes

2 medium onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4-oz. can diced green chilies

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. pepper

1. Combine all ingredients except chilies and seasonings in large slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-4½ hours, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked.

3. Stir in green chilies and seasonings and serve.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
mixed green leafy salad
and
refried beans
.

Red Pepper Chicken

Sue Graber

Eureka, IL

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

15-oz. can black beans, drained

12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, undrained

14½-oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 large onion, chopped

½ tsp. salt

pepper to taste

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.

2. Combine beans, red peppers, stewed tomatoes, onion, salt, and pepper in a good-sized mixing bowl. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours, or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
.

Chicken and Seafood Gumbo

Dianna Milhizer

Brighton, MI

Makes 12 servings

Prep. Time: 40-45 minutes

Cooking Time: 8-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped green bell peppers

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup, plus 1 Tbsp., flour

6 cups chicken stock

2 lbs. chicken, skin removed and cut up

3 bay leaves

1½ cups sliced okra

12-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 lb. ready-to-eat shrimp

½ cup snipped fresh parsley

1. Sauté celery, onions, and peppers in oil in skillet.

2. Blend in flour and chicken stock until smooth. Cook 5 minutes. Pour into slow cooker.

3. Stir remaining ingredients, except seafood and parsley, into slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or until chicken is tender but not dry.

5. One hour before serving add shrimp and parsley.

6. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
white rice
.

Chicken Rice Special

Jeanne Allen

Rye, CO

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 40 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. pork,
or
turkey, sausage

6 chicken breast halves, cooked
*
and chopped (save 4 cups broth)

half a large sweet green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 ribs celery, chopped

1 cup uncooked rice

2-oz. pkg. dry noodle-soup mix

½ cup sliced almonds

1-2 oz. jar pimentos, chopped

1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off any drippings. Place meat in slow cooker.

2. Add all other ingredients, except almonds and pimentos, to slow cooker. Stir well.

3. Top with almonds and pimentos.

4. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours, or until rice is done and liquid has been absorbed.

5. Stir well 1 hour before serving.

*
See
page 175
, at end of recipe for Tamale Chicken, for instructions about cooking chicken in your slow cooker.

Company Casserole

Vera Schmucker

Goshen, IN

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1¼ cups uncooked long-grain rice

1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter, melted

3 cups chicken broth

3-4 cups cut-up cooked chicken breast

2 4-oz. cans sliced mushrooms, drained

⅓ cup soy sauce

12-oz. pkg. shelled frozen shrimp, thawed

8 green onions, chopped, 2 Tbsp. reserved

⅔ cup slivered almonds

1. Combine rice and butter in slow cooker. Stir to coat rice well.

2. Add remaining ingredients, except almonds and 2 Tbsp. green onions.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High 3-4 hours, until rice is tender.

4. Thirty minutes before end of cooking time, stir in thawed shrimp.

5. Sprinkle almonds and green onions over top before serving.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
green beans
,
tossed salad
, and
fruit salad
.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole