Rosemary Chicken with White Beans

This is a nice slow cooker recipe and everyone liked it, which pretty much NEVER happens.

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cans great northern or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
½ cup sliced celery
2/3 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches on both sides. Place the beans, carrots and celery in slow cooker; top with chicken.Combine the salad dressing, rosemary, salt and pepper; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the chicken juices run clear.
Makes 6 servings.`

Easy Cabbage Roll Casserole

Important note: my husband hates this. I love it, though, so I make it a couple of times a winter.

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef or turkey
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can condensed tomato soup
½ cup long grain rice
4 cups shredded cabbage
1/3 cup tomato juice or water
sour cream

Lightly grease the inside of the slowcooker’s stoneware insert.
In a large skillet, combine ground beef, onions, garlic and pepper; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon until browned. Drain off any excess fat. Return to heat and add tomatoes, water and half the can of tomato soup, mixing well. Add rice, stirring to combine.
Into prepared slow cooker, place half of meat mixture, then half of cabbage. Top with remaining meat mixture and remaining cabbage.
In a bowl, combine remaining tomato soup with tomato juice and mix well. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, until bubbling and heated through.
Serve with sour cream.(the recipe suggests mashed potatoes and peas as ideal accompaniments, and I’ve never seen any reason to disagree.)

Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Black Beans

We did this earlier this week and it was REALLY good - and completely simple, a nice combination.

(adapted from Everyday Food November 2007)
1 can black beans, drained
1 jar mild or medium salsa
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipolte chiles in adobo sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
salt and pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped

In the slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chiles and 1 cup of water. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Toss the onion and pepper on top of the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Do not open or stir.
Remove chicken from stew and shred into large pieces and return to stew. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.