Pulled BBQ Chicken (Recipes to try)

Pulled BBQ Chicken

Who says you can only enjoy BBQ in the summer? This delicious recipe combines protein with winter veggies and tops it all off with an incredibly tasty chipotle raspberry BBQ sauce (that only sounds complicated to make) for a meal the whole family will love!

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil (use more if necessary)
4 to 5 pounds skinless chicken thighs (bone-in is fine)
1 large Walla Walla or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced thin
3 medium carrots, diced
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry rose wine (or dry chardonnay)
1 can (14 ounces) chicken stock
1 can (14 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 chipotle peppers (diced is fine, or you can use fresh or canned chipotle chilies in Adobo Sauce)
2 tablespoons brown sugar

For Chipotle Raspberry BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce)
2/3 cup raspberry preserves

Directions:
1. Add oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add as many chicken thighs as will fit with the bone facing up. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Once both sides are browned, add thighs to the crock pot and continue browning remaining thighs.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic to the pan and cook until vegetables are lightly browned and onions are starting to turn translucent (if necessary, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to pan). Add to the crock pot, and turn it on to high heat.
3. In the pan, add wine, chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle peppers, and brown sugar, and stir to combine. Cook until sugar is melted, and then pour mixture over chicken and vegetables in the crock pot. Mix contents of the crock pot so ingredients get evenly distributed, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 hours.When done cooking, remove chicken and separate meat from the bones.
4. To make BBQ sauce, add all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat. Stir thoroughly and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. (If raspberry preserves have a lot of seeds, strain sauce before serving. Makes 1 1/2 cups.)

Recipe courtesy of Pamela Braun of MyMansBelly.com

Cranberry Applesauce (Recipes to try)

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Cranberry Applesauce

This quick and easy recipe is sugar- and preservative-free and full of antioxidant-rich cranberries and apples.

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:


4 pounds (approximately 12) apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Add apples and cranberries to the Crock Pot and pour water over top. (If you want to make it sweeter, add in desired amour of sugar, brown sugar, or cinnamon now.) Place lid on Crock Pot. Turn heat to low and cook for 6 hours. Remove lid and stir to break up apples and cranberries that may still be in large pieces. Serve as is, or use a stick blender (or regular blender) to smooth it out.

Recipe courtesy of Pamela Braun of MyMansBelly.com

Moroccan Stew - (Recipes to try)

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try/slide/6

Moroccan Stew

This savory Moroccan-inspired vegetable stew makes a great dinner option (and a great lunch the next day). It's full of flavor and nutrient-rich veggies like kale, onions, carrots, and garlic.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes with juice
2 cinnamon sticks
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 bunch kale, chopped and tough stems removed
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
1/2 roast chicken, skinned and boned (optional)

Directions:
1. Add olive oil, onion, carrots, red pepper, garlic, spices, chickpeas, tomatoes and juice, cinnamon sticks, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours.
2. Twenty minutes before serving, when the cooker is just on the "warm" setting, add kale. (This is a good time to prep rice, if desired: Add 1 cup basmati rice, 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, and 1 pinch saffron in a pot, cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes). Just before serving, add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve over rice with roasted chicken, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of The Cleaner Plate Club by Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin