slow cooker

Slow-cooker unauthentic chicken cacciatore

There’s no authentic-traditional chicken cacciatore recipe. For what I gathered, it’s the most vague recipe in the history of the Italian-American cuisine. Google “cacciatore” and you get all kinds of possibilities; creamy, healthy, Italian (redundancy?), spicy chicken cacciatore and even vegan cacciatore. If you need a cacciatore recipe you’ll certainly have plenty of choices but none will be “traditional”.

I was not going to post my unauthentic chicken cacciatore recipe. But this was the best frigging chicken cacciatore I ever tasted in my life and this is, after all, my cooking blog. If one of my kids decide to make chicken cacciatore one day it better be this one.

What so special about it? Nothing! It’s all chicken cacciatore is meant to be; whatever the hell the cook wants. And to me it is tender and juicy chicken, braised in a flavorful wine sauce, loaded with peppers, carrots, tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, capers and olives.

So, to my kids and to anyone that wants to try this unauthentic-unapologetic chicken cacciatore, here is how.

Categories

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Split Pea soup

Today I woke up wanting nothing more than to make a big pot of hearty split pea soup. Now, as much as I love it, I don’t make it more than twice a year. It’s delicious, satisfying and great for leftovers but OMG the gas it produces is outrageous. I bet if someone lights up a match at this household tonight we’re all doomed!

I made this batch on the slow cooker with mini hotdogs from Trader Joe’s (all beef, no nitrates, uncured) instead of the usual ham hock or bacon. Add some key spices (turmeric+mustard+oregano+white pepper+bayleaf), some drops of liquid smoke (totally optional) and you have the most fart worthy pea soup ever!

Start by setting up the slow cook for 3-5 hours on high. Diced and saute a medium onion on 1 tsp of olive oil.

Split Pea Soup

Place one package of mini hot dogs (OR the smoke meat of your preference OR no meat for a vegetarian version) and sauteed onions in the slow cooker.

Split Pea Soup

Add one box of chicken or beef broth (1 QT). Fill up the empty box with water and add to the mix. If you like your split pea soup on the thicker side add only half of the water.

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Next add the 1lb package of rinsed split peas and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, oregano, white pepper, mustard; 3 small bayleaves; 1 1/2 tablespoon of salt; 3 drops of liquid smoke (optional); also optional 1 tablespoon of Blackstrap molasses (I put this black-sticky-full of nutrients syrup on just about everything.)

Split Pea Soup

Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or 8 to 10 hours on low until peas are mushy.

Slow Cooker Chili with Kale and Fresh Tomatoes

Lean Chili with Kale and fresh tomatoes

No super tasty comments about how ‘dealicious’ this chili turned out. No orgasmic pictures either (chili is just not photogenic.) I just want to have this recipe documented because I must repeat the achievement. It was the best Chili EVER end of the story!

Slow Cook Lean Chili with kale and fresh tomatoes

Best Chili EVER! Slow Cooker required!

Dominique for dealiciouscooking.com
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Course Winter bliss!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 Lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup of bacon or smoked sausage optional...but I used a bit of both
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 tbsp of VOO
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • 5 medium roma tomatoes diced
  • 3 tbsp of tomato paste
  • 1 small can of white beans
  • 1 tbsp of molasses
  • Beef broth or red wine or beer for deglaze 2 tbsp approximately
  • 1 Lacinato kale bunch chopped optional....gotta put something green on it
  • 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro from our garden
  • 1 hot cherry pepper or any pepper available like serrano, jalapeno, or pasilla
  • 1 tsp of these DRY/Powder spices mixed all together on separate small bowl:
  • cinnamon
  • pasilla
  • chipotle
  • paprika
  • smoked Spanish paprika/pimenton can be replaced by an additional tsp of paprika
  • thyme
  • oregano
  • 1 tbsp of:
  • salt
  • dry cumin
  • apple cider vinegar
  • liquid aminos OR soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • Remove ceramic pot from slow cooker and keep it close to stove. Turn slow cooker on high and set timer for 3 hrs.
  • Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meat (and optional bacon/sausage) first adding a little of the dry spices to it (I like to leave the meat in small clusters/chunks. Place it in the crock pot and reserve.
  • In the same pan saute the onions, garlic, tomatoes, cherry pepper, kale and cilantro with a little of the dry spices until most of the liquid has evaporated. Place it in the crock pot and reserve.
  • Deglaze the saute pan with beef broth, wine, beer, or water. Add tomato paste dissolving it in the deglaze (add more liquid if too dry). Add all the leftover spices to the broth. Cook for about 2 minutes and place it in the slow cooker.
  • Add all the other ingredients (except for the white beans) and mix well. Transfer ceramic pot to the slow cooker and let it cook for about 2 1/2 hrs then check for taste. Add the white beans (drained) and any salt or spice to taste. Let it cook another hour and tadah...best Chili EVER!!!!

Kids had chili leftovers for lunch. Husband had it at work. I ate it with rice. I ran out of rice. I ate it with pita bread. I ate it with chips. And when nothing else was available to accompany it,  I ate it with a spoon straight out of the fridge because I was running late to pick up the kids. It tasted good every single time!!!!

Dealicious Ground Sirloin at Sprouts

THE DEAL: If you want to give this recipe a try get the ground beef at  Sprouts. Starting today they have ground sirloin (93% super-lean) for $5.99 lb. (Check your local store for offers)