Crockpot Chicken Lentil Chili

When preparing to move to the other side of the world, there seems to be a steady realization that there are food items which have been begging to enter the home-dweller's bellies.

And so I found myself accessing my 99 or so Kindle cookbooks (all free downloads...don't worry) to find a way to use up some major lentils.

This Chicken and Lentil Chili was top notch!

Directions/Ingredients:
Original Recipe thanks to The Everything Healthy Cooking for Parties by Linda Larsen.

Combine 2 chopped Onions, 5 minced Cloves of Garlic and 2 chopped Carrots in the bottom of 4-5 qt. Slow Cooker. Sprinkle with a seasoning mix of 3 Tbsp. Chili Powder, 1/2 tsp. Cumin, 1 tsp. Basil, Salt and Pepper.

Top with 1 1/2 cups Dry Lentils, 1/2 cup Brown Rice and 1 lb. Chicken Breasts. Pour 3 cups Diced Tomatoes (fresh or canned) over all. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup Tomato Paste with 1 cup of the Chicken Stock; stir until tomato paste dissolves. Add to crockpot along with additional 3 cups Chicken Stock and 3 cups Water.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until lentils and rice are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with sour cream (plain homemade yogurt) and salsa if desired.

Lentils and Yogurt Sauce

Unfortunately, I wasn't all to impressed with my lentils from this meal, so I'll just say, find yourself a decent lentil or dall recipe and then get to work on this Yogurt Sauce - serve them up together and enjoy! The yogurt sauce (Tzatziki/Tsatsiki) is quite divine!

Ingredients/Directions:

From Shepardic Israeli Cuisine: A Mediterranean Mosic by Shielah Kaufman

Peel, seed and chop one large cucumber (preferably English), sprinkle with salt and let drain in a large colander for about an hour. Using 1 1/4 cups of Greek or Strained yogurt add 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp. fresh Lemon Juice, black pepper and 2-4 cloves of minced Garlic. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until serving. Before serving, squeeze remaining moisture from cucumbers, add to the yogurt along with freshly torn mint and parsley, mix well to combine. Enjoy on lentils, crackers, pitas, etc.

Slow-cooker Pork and Lentil Soup

Monsoon season = LOTS of Rain (obviously)

Even though it's not particularly cold during Monsoon Season, the rain makes me crave soups and stews. And, when we opt for inviting friends over pre-Harry Potter, crock-pot soups are the best answer to ensure all mouths are adequately fed.

Using a recipe for Hamburger Lentil Soup from my handy-dandy Fix-It and Forget It Cookbook, I threw this together in a jiffy and came home to some fabulous smelling and tasting Pork and Lentil Soup.

Ingredients/Directions:

Brown 1lb. of ground or finely chopped Pork and 1 chopped onion in a skillet, drain off the fat. In slow cooker, combine Beef, Onions, 3 Carrots diced, 1 cup of mushrooms diced, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 cup of marinara sauce, 4 cups (or more) of water/broth, 2 cups dry lentils, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar and cook on low for 8-10 hours (high 4-6 hours). During the last hour or 30 minutes chop up some pumpkin kid or summer squash and throw into the mix. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy with good company and a glass of ButterBeer prior to watching Harry Potter (#7 pt. 2 - to be exact) for a screaming good time!