Dinner this week - Southwest chicken stew

I hate cooking a different meal every night. I simply do not have the time to whip together something new from my fridge on a regular basis. I'm just too distracted and unorganized by the time 5:30 PM rolls around. My brain literally goes into shut down mode.

Thus I have adopted the habit of cooking a single dish at the beginning of the week and then reheating that dish all week long. It works for this family, seriously, because a) neither my husband nor I mind eating left overs; b) the kids don't care what I put on the table, they're going to snub it; and c) I can cook on autopilot once my brain has ceased all higher functions for the day.

I usually do the cooking on Sunday morning, and I always use a slow cooker. This week's recipe is Southwest chicken stew, from The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook. If you like this recipe, consider buying the book. The recipes are low fat, pretty tasty, and usually easy to make. I'd say I use this cook book for 60% of my cooking.

Southwest chicken stew:

• 2 lbs chicken breast tenderloin, cut into 1 inch pieces
  


• 1 18-oz package refridgerated shreddedn potatoes
  


• 1 15-oz jar southwest style salsa with corn and black beans
  


• 1 4-oz can diced green chiles, undrained
  


• 1 package taco seasoning (1 1/4 oz)
  


• 6 tbsp Italian tomato paste with roasted garlic (or use regular tomato paste and add basil, oregano, and chopped garlic)
  


• 1/2 cup water
  


• 1 16-oz package frozen cut green beans
  

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken and potatoes and mix together. In a bowl, mix salsa, undrained chiles and taco seasoning. Add to slow cooker and mix everything together. In another bowl, mix tomato paste with water. Layer this over top of the chicken mix, but do not mix in. Heat on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

If heating on low, turn up to high. Add green beans and mix in. Cook for an addition 15-25 minutes.

I have not tried this recipe yet, but like I said, all the recipes in this book have been good so far, and the way dinner smells right now (it's cooking on the counter even as I blog), I don't think I'm going to be disappointed. If I'd had a little more time, I think I would have made up some corn bread to go with this. As it is, I'll probably serve this with baked tortilla chips, and maybe top with some low fat shredded cheese.

Enjoy!

Potato and Sausage Stew - FTW!

This is for the very talented Mr. Phil Rossi - amazing
musician, wonderful writer, and an all-around great guy who is always more than welcome to drop by any time I've got a fresh pot of
stew bubbling in the slow cooker ;)

This recipe is modified from the Potato and Bratwurst Stew recipe found in BHG's 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Recipes cook book.

• 14 oz no fat chicken broth
  


• 1 cup water
  


• 1 10 1/2 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
  


• 1 lb sausage (bratwurst, kielbalsa, smoked sausage, or whatever you choose), sliced
  


• 1 20 oz package refridgerated shredded potatoes, preferably southwestern style
  


• 1 package frozen golden corn
  


• 2 cans dark red kidney beans
  

Put all ingredients into slow cooker and mix together. Set slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hrs, or set on high and cook for 4 hours.

If you can't find southwestern style shredded potatoes, add 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper and 2 teaspoons minced garlic. Serve with
fresh cornbread. This makes a pretty big pot of stew, but it's a great comfort food and everybody here loves it!

Hope you enjoy the recipe, especially you, Mr. Rossi ;)