Jerk Chicken in a Crockpot

I have a confession to make... There is a new love in my life. And he looks like this:

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I have officially fallen head-over-heels in love with my crockpot. My sister and I always teased my mom growing up because every dinner came from the crockpot. Now I COMPLETELY understand the reason for her affinity. The crockpot is the best friend every busy girl (and guy!) needs.

Yesterday I decided to make "Jerk Chicken." However, after looking at tons of recipes and making many adaptations and substitutions, I do not think it can actually have this moniker. 

Instead, I am calling this recipe:

Thyme on Your Side Crockpot Chicken
 

3 lbs Chicken leg quarters

1 onion (diced)

7 cloves of Garlic

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Ground Mustard

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Dash of Ginger

Dash of Rep Pepper Flakes

2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1) Place chicken into the crockpot

2) Sprinkle everything else on top!

3) Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours (If chicken is frozen, it will be closer to 6 hours)

I bought this giant bag of peeled garlic cloves. It was $4 and the garlic tastes SO fresh. Not to mention the fact that you don't have to smash heads of garlic and spend hours trying to get the papery stuff off. 

I made this recipe using chicken leg quarters. They looks like this in the store:

And the best part of using bone-in leg quarters is the value:

This cost $3.35. Um, Holy Frugal Frog! That is a STEAL! 


Chase absolutely ADORED this recipe. I thought it was good, but when I make it again, I think I will do more oregano and less thyme. Also, I think I would add some Tabasco sauce for a little heat!


What is your favorite way to eat chicken?!

SUCCESS!

I am typically not one to boast or brag, but today, I feel like I have earned a coveted award.

 
 

Today marks the happiest day of my frugal frog life! After the Paleo Faileo coconut debacle of last week I have TRIUMPHED!

I found an EASIER and still cheap way to make coconut butter from scratch in the comfort of your own kitchen. All you need is:

A bag of unsweetened dehydrated coconut (I found this in the “special” organic section of Wegmans and I have also seen it at Whole Foods in the Bulk Bins and in the baking aisle). This bag cost me $2.69. Not bad.

Do NOT get the “reduced-fat” option for 2 reasons: 1) It will not successfully turn into butter and 2) Fat is your FRIEND! Do not fear it!

The second thing you need is a BLENDER! Put those food processors away (or at least the mini chops)! The blender is the TICKET!

There are 3 easy-peasy steps to the coconut butter process:

1)      Pour the coconut into the blender

2)      Blend the coconut (I used the “puree” option) for 10-20 minutes depending on the strength of your blender.  Be sure to scrape down the sides OFTEN.

3)      EAT!

Seriously, I am GLOWING! For less than $3 I made my own jar of coconut goodness! Break out the apples and the sweet potatoes because I am going to town! 

If you could find the recipe or the process to make any food at home, what would YOU choose?

Don't Knock it Until You Try It

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While I like vegetables, I struggle to get my 5-9 servings a day. Honestly, I know relatively few people who don’t have trouble. I am sorry, but I am going to choose coconut butter over asparagus EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. J

However, in eliminating all grains and dairy from my diet, I have made a concerted effort to boost my veggie intake. One way I have found to do this is by including veggies in snacks.

Right now, my favorite veggie snack is....(no judging please)

Lettuce

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Pecans

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And Strawberries (if available).

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I make little lettuce wraps with a couple diced pecans inside. I am not lying, it is delicious! I even made Chase try one and he liked it (THIS IS MAJOR).

The key to achieving deliciousness is to use FRESH lettuce—none of that packaged stuff. Also, did you know this head of lettuce cost all of $1.01. Plus, it will last all week, unlike the bagged lettuce mix that gets slimy in 3 days.

Honestly, the best purchase of 2011 was my salad spinner. I do not know how I lived without this! It cost all of $10 at Homegoods and is KEY for making Kale Chips and salads. 

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Right now I have been keeping lettuce all cleaned and dry in the spinner, so when I open the refrigerator I remember to pack this as a morning or afternoon snack. I am going to experiment with other fruits. Chase suggested grapes, and I think he is definitely on to something.

Are you good at eating vegetables? How do you get your 5-9 servings?

Paleo Pumpkin Chili

The past week I have been scouring cookbooks and websites for Chili recipes. We take chili VERY seriously in my house. My Mumsie makes the best chili ever. The prospect of making a chili without beans or corn was a bit daunting. 

I decided to glean from a myriad of recipes, adding things I liked and subtracting ingredients that either sounded intolerable or were not "paleo friendly." In the end I was very satisfied with the outcome. 

This is a very tomato-ey (yes, I completely made up this word). I, however, LOVE tomatoes, so this was a win. Plus, this recipe was easily made in the crockpot--double win!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (you could easily sub in bison/turkey/chicken/soy crumbles)
1 large onion (diced)
2 tbsp. coconut oil
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes (use only 1 if you prefer less tomato-ey taste)
1 (4 oz) can tomato juice
1 can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp. sugar/honey/agave (optional, but it helps cut the acidity)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you do not like spicy, omit this)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (again, if you do not like spicy, omit this)
1 zucchini (diced finely)
1 sweet potato (peeled, and diced)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin


1) Saute minced garlic in 1 tbsp. coconut oil and add ground beef. Cook over medium heat, until browned; saute onions, if desired (you can simply add raw onion to crockpot)

2) Add wet ingredients to crockpot

3) Stir in spices

4) Cook for 3 hours on low and then add sweet potato, zucchini, and pumpkin.

(I liked the sweet potato and zucchini to be a bit firm in my chili, if you want them soft, add them at the beginning). The pumpkin can be added at any time.

5) Cook for 2 more hours on low

6) ENJOY!

Chase is a chili connoisseur and he loved this, so that is definitely a promising endorsement. 

Do you like chili? Are you a fan of chili con carne, Chili with beans, or Cincinnati chili (sweet chili over spaghetti)?

Sun Tea!

If you have never tried Sun Tea you are seriously missing out! Sun Tea is a way to make iced tea without having to boil water (who wants a steamy kitchen?) or dirty a pan! You harness the energy and heat of the sun to steep the tea, and golly Mr. Sun knows how to make a killer pitcher of tea!

Honestly, this could not be easier. It takes three simple steps.

First you must assemble the necessities: A pitcher, 4-6 bags of tea, water.

I like to make a blend of tea. For this pitcher, I chose “Awake” tea (a robust black tea), two bags of “Ceylon” tea (a mellow black tea) and “Spiced Apple Cider” tea (which is an herbal blend). If you would like, you can make it all one type or choose a mixture as well. I like my tea lightly steeped, so I chose 4 tea bags. If you like strong tea, choose 5-6. 

Here is the ridiculously simple process:

1)      Pour about 1- 1 ½ quarts water into pitcher

2)      Tie the strings of the tea bags together and place into the pitcher

3)      Cover the top of the pitcher and place out in the sun for at least 2 hours. If you are using 4 tea bags, it will take longer. Today I left my tea to "sun" while I was at work.

4)      Pour over ice and enjoy! (Store in the fridge)

I like to add lime, lemon, or orange to my pitcher if I am using only black tea. It gives it a lovely summery flavor! 

           

This would be a lovely beverage for any Labor Day BBQ's!