Chicken Stew with Sausage and Cannellini Beans

We all have those meals we love to make for family and friends.

Mine include Baked Ziti, Cajun Turkey Jambalaya and Turkey, Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili.

And this favorite, straight from the pages of the Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook. The first time I made this -- way back in 2012, I was hooked. It was my first time cooking with fennel and the amazing flavor it imparts to the dish is addicting.

I've since served this up to many of our house guests, but hadn't made it recently. So glad I did. This stew does require some prep work, which makes it great for a weekend, not to mention cold, cloudy days.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Chicken Stew with Sausage and Cannellini Beans

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound mild or sweet sausage links, sliced
2 onions, minced
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (remove the stops and the core and cut in half first)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed
2 bay leaves
2, 15 ounce cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach
Shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

Cut off extra fat from chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.

Over medium-high flame, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet. In batches, brown chicken on both sides, about 5 to 8 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Place cooked chicken in bowl until next steps.

Heat remaining oil in the pan. Add sausage and brown well. Transfer to bowl with chicken. Reserve 1 tablespoon of fat in pan and pour off the rest.

Add onions, fennel, garlic, tomato paste, thyme and red pepper to pan and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in wine, scraping up browned bits. Add 1 cup broth and stir to smooth out any lumps.

Transfer to slow cooker. Add 3 cups of broth and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Add chicken, sausage and any juices in the bowl. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on low.

Remove chicken to large plate or cutting board and shred into small pieces with two forks.

Skim off any fat on top of stew and remove bay leaves.

Stir in beans and spinach. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes to wilt spinach. Add chicken, stir and allow to heat through.

If stew is too thick, add hot broth.

Ladle into bowls and season with salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan.

Slow Cooker 15-Bean Soup with Sausage and Spinach

For dinner in the winter, I'm satisfied with a warm bowl of beans. Growing up we'd often have beans and cornbread. Not fancy beans — just thrown in the crockpot with water or broth, a diced up onion,  that "ham" flavoring packet and maybe a leftover ham bone. And it was good. This is better, healthier even thanks to the spinach. In fact, I've made these beans twice in recent weeks and am officially declaring it my official, go-to, wintertime bean recipe.

The recipe is adapted from a favorite line of cookbooks: America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution. I made a few tweaks. For starters, I omitted the mushrooms (just sounds unappealing to me to cook mushrooms and beans together for 9 or so hours). I increased the amount of sausage from 8 ounces to 9-12 ounces (for easier math) as sausage typically comes in 12-ounce, 4-link packs. Likewise, I upped the spinach by an ounce, because the baby spinach I buy comes in a 5-ounce clamshell container. Lastly, the second time I made it, I used a 4-ounce container of chicken broth and the 2 cups of vegetable broth leftover in my fridge. Why open another container of chicken broth?

Anyhow, if you are craving an easy dinner that takes the edge off the winter chill, try this out. Tweak it; make it your own.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: A great thing to serve with this: my Family Cornbread.

Slow Cooker 15-Bean Soup with Sausage and Spinach
Adapted from Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution

9-12 ounces (3-4 links) hot or sweet Italian chicken sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
8 ounce bag of 15-bean soup mix, flavoring packet(s) discarded
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
Black pepper to taste
5 ounces (5 cups) baby spinach

Microwave sausage, onion, garlic, thyme and pepper flakes in bowl until onion is softened (about 5 minutes), stirring halfway through. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, water, beans, bay leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add black pepper — to taste — now or later, if desired. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender — 9 to 11 hours on low or 6 to 8 hours on high.

Discard bay leaves. Stir in spinach and let sit until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Slow Cooker Vegan Indian Lentil Stew

For Sunday dinner, I often make a crockpot meal. I love walking into our house after Sunday evening Mass to the smell of a warm dinner that's ready to go. This is one of my favorite stews. It hit the spot last night and will again today when I eat some of the leftovers. Plus, few things smell better simmering away than a stew with garam masala.

XOXO,
Amy

Slow Cooker Vegan Indian Lentil Stew
2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 shallots, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup dried French green lentils
6 carrots, diced
2 14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (I used no salt added variety.)
2 14-ounce  cans of garbanzo beans, drained
2 cups vegetable broth (Add more for thinner stew.)
2 teaspoons garam masala
Salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes and then add to slow cooker. Add all of the the other ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with bread or crackers, if you like.

Slow Cooker Thai Curry Eggplant

A couple weeks ago, I posted this Facebook status update: "I made Thai curry eggplant for dinner. The whole family hates me."

Yeah, it was not a hit with the fam, but I liked it. Unlike the eggplant-hating husband and children, I crave a lighter meal now and then. And the leftovers made for some nice solo lunches and dinners for moi.

I just would cut the eggplant in smaller pieces next time — America's Test Kitchen Health Slow Cooker Revolution advised 1-inch pieces — so they cook down a bit more and are more bite-sized. I'd recommend half-inch hunks.


Several of my eggplant-loving friends responded to my Facebook status asking that I post the recipe. Friends, this one's for you.

XOXO,
Amy

Slow Cooker Thai Curry Eggplant
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution

2 pounds eggplant, cut inot half-inch pieces
4 shallots, minced
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1 tablespoon honey
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons fish sauce — and more for seasoning, if desired
2 tablespoons instant tapioca
1/4 teaspoon salt —and extra salt (and pepper) to taste
1 pound snow peas, strings removed and cut in half
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, ad cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice — and more for seasoning, if desired
Jasmine rice for serving

Adjust oven rack (if necessary) to be 6 inches from the broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with oil spray.

Toss eggplant, shallots, green curry paste and honey in large bowl. Spread eggplant mixture evenly on cookie sheet and broil until softened and beginning to brown — about 12 minutes — rotating the baking sheet halfway through.

Transfer eggplant mixture to slow cooker. Add in broth, fish sauce, tapioca and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until fragrant and eggplant is softened -- about 4 hours.

Microwave snow peas, bell pepper and a tablespoon of water in a covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until tender but yet a little crisp. This will take 4 to 6 minutes. Drain vegetables and stir into curry.

Microwave coconut milk until hot — about 2 minutes. Stir into curry and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season as desired with salt, pepper, and extra fish sauce and lime juice. Serve over jasmine rice.

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Fish Stew

I've been trying to find new, easy ways to cook fish, so the slow cooker naturally comes to mind. Readers, this is my new favorite easy-to-do fish dish. I love the mix of seasonings -- garam masala, paprika, cayenne pepper for heat and saffron for mellow.

Your kitchen will smell like a combo North African, Italian and Spanish restaurant. Your husband, who is supposed to be eating more fish and watching his cholesterol, will tell you this stew is merely OK. But you won't care. He's wrong and besides that means easy leftover lunches for you.

XOXO,
Amy

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Fish Stew
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution

2 onions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 (13-15 ounces each) cans artichoke hearts, with artichokes cut in half length-wise so that juice runs out; then pat with paper towels or clean dish towel so they are less wet
2 cups chicken broth (I prefer reduced sodium)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained (I prefer no salt added)
1/4 cup dry white wine
Pinch of saffron
1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (optional)

Microwave onions, tomato paste, garam masala, paprika, cayenne and olive oil, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add in rest of ingredients in list, down to and including the saffron. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-5 hours.

When time is up on the slow cooker, your kitchen will smell amazing. Add in fish and olives and cook on high until cod falls apart when gently prodded with a fork -- about 30-35 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Turkey & Wild Rice Stew

Spring has definitely arrived in central Illinois, but we're still in that on-again, off-again pattern. Chilly, rainy days make me crave soup or stew, so I whipped this up for dinner using items already on hand.

I had turkey broth in the freezer, but you can easily substitute store bought or homemade chicken stock, chicken broth or vegetable broth.

The wild rice in this meal is special. Friends who traveled to Minnesota for a hunting trip brought it back for me. Minnesota Broken Rice grows naturally in fresh water. It's chewy with a nutty flavor. This rice is a bit tougher than brown rice and I've had trouble cooking it to the right consistency on its own. But it worked perfectly in this stew, staying al dente during the long simmering time. Rest assured, regular wild rice from the grocery store will work just as well in this main dish.

I'm calling this a stew because it was a bit thicker than I intended, but you can add more broth for a more soup-like consistency.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Turkey & Wild Rice Stew
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 7 carrots, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
4 ribs celery, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 large onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
4 tablespoons flour
4 to 6 cups (or more) turkey broth (or chicken or vegetable stock or broth)
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups chopped, cooked turkey or chicken
1/2 cup half & half or 1/2 cup milk combined with 1 tablespoon flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion and cook about 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Add the garlic and cook 3 to 5 more minutes, just until the garlic starts to brown.

Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant.

Add the flour and cook while stirring constantly, until the flour is browned and fully combined with the vegetables.

Pour in the turkey broth, bay leaves and soy sauce. Scrap up any browned bits on the bottom of the Dutch oven and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add wild rice, stir and then let simmer for another 25 to 30 minutes.

Add turkey, salt and pepper. Stir in half & half or milk and cook until slightly thickened. Add more broth if you want to thin out the liquid.

Serve garnished with fresh parsley or cilantro.

A note about leftovers: The stew may thicken even more in the fridge, but reheating it will return the dish to a more stew or soup-like meal. And you can always add a little more broth!

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

A while back a friend on Facebook posted about preparing cabbage rolls. While I wanted to make them, too, there are just way to many steps involved for a cabbage dish I wasn't sure anyone in my family but myself would appreciate.

Flash forward to a couple weeks ago, a friend on Facebook posted a link to unstuffed cabbage rolls. Genius. Now, we're talking. I whipped up these unstuffed cabbage rolls, adding red wine vinegar to the original recipe.

The verdict: we loved this meal. Well, Jeff, Penny and I did and we ate it for two dinners in a row. I couldn't believe it. The husband is not a big fan of cabbage or eating the same dinner back-to-back. Lucy, however, couldn't get past the mere sight of cabbage in her bowl.

Next time I might add a dash of paprika in keeping with the Eastern European heritage of the dish. You could easily add rice, provided you added more water along with it.

Next time you are searching for old school style comfort food, I hope you think of unstuffed cabbage rolls. I certainly will.

XOXO,
Amy

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
Serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small to medium-sized cabbage, chopped, making sure to remove the hard stem that runs up the middle
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) no salt added diced tomatoes, not drained
1 can (8 ounces) added tomato sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.

Add garlic and continue cooking for one minute.

Unless your skillet is big enough to accommodate all the other ingredients, transfer the beef mixture to a large pot or stock pot before adding the other ingredients.

Add the cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Soul-Soothing Red Lentil Stew

As the weather recently turned more brisk and some seasonal stress piled on at work, I craved the comfort of a stew. Some people believe chicken noodle soup to be food for the soul and I can appreciate that. (Please see Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.) But what soothes my soul lately: a good lentil stew.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: This photo doesn't do my stew justice.

Soul-Soothing Red Lentil Stew
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution, Volume 2: The Easy-Prep Edition

2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
2 1/2 cups water
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
Salt and pepper
4 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
2/3 cup frozen peas

Spray inside of slow cooker with vegetable oil spray.

Microwave coconut oil, garlic, garam masala, and pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about one minute. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in water, carrots, lentils, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, and peas. Cover and cook for another 6 hours on low. Yeah, you gotta be patient for this stew, but I think it's worth it.

Hubby and girls ate this stew with crackers. I preferred to top mine with avocado.

Beef Stew

Beef Stew. It's so simple and unassuming, but, man, is it good. I've been meaning to make Beef Stew for a while now. Now that I tried it—now that I know how delicious it is—I can't help but wonder, what the heck took me so long? In case you're wavering, let me tell you why you should make Beef Stew post haste.

First, as I mentioned about fourteen times already, Beef Stew is delicious. Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce create complex flavor and red wine adds richness. And after a couple hours of slow cooking, the beef is tender and falling apart.

Second...leftovers!! If I can cook once and eat twice, I'm all for it. Beef Stew reheats beautifully. And you can even add a twist to your leftovers by turning them into pot pie. Load your leftover Beef Stew into a casserole dish. Top with your favorite mashed potatoes. (Homemade or from a box...I don't judge. Mine were absolutely from a box.) Then let's gild the lily and sprinkle the mashed potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese. Yes, let's do that. Bake at 400 until the stew is bubbly, the cheese is melted, and the potatoes are golden around the edges.

Beef Stew
Adapted from epicurious
Serves 6-8

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
Salt and pepper
2 onions, peeled and chopped fine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground thyme
2 bay leaves
6 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Mashed potatoes or biscuits, for serving

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Generously season beef with salt and pepper. Add half the beef to the pan and cook until all sides are deep brown, turning as needed, 7-10 minutes total. Set browned beef aside on a plate and repeat with an additional 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.

Add final 1 tablespoon oil to now empty pan and add chopped onion. Cook onion, stirring regularly, until it's soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in wine and use a spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and reserved browned beef. Bring to a simmer, cover, and place in oven for 1 hour.

Stir in carrots and return stew to the oven to cook for 1 more hour, until carrots and beef are tender. Place the pot on a burner over medium-low heat. Stir in peas and allow the stew to cook until the peas are heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes or biscuits, sprinkled with parsley.

P.S. Here's a cell phone pic of my leftover Beef Stew turned Shepherd's Pie. Tastes better than it looks, but I thought I'd share.