Recipe by my good friend Virginia Santos. Thanks Virgi!

1 rotisserie chicken, original or lemon pepper flavor
fresh mint -one bunch
about 8 lemons
green onions
non-sweetened grated coconut
hot peppers (optional)

De-bone the chicken and then chop it up with the mint. You can make it as fine as you want or keep it chunky and a little thick. Juice the lemons , chop up the green onions and then just add the lemon juice to the chopped chicken and mix by hand. You want to watch the amount of lemon and add it slowly so its not too wet and mushy, so add slowly. After that you add the hot pepper, little salt, coconut and green onions. I grate my own coconut and usually use about 1 1/2 coconut, you can tell if you have enough , just taste it and if you like more coconut then add more. Let me know how you like it.

For the long way, you would have to bbq your chicken, quarters. I love the dark meat so we usually bbq quarters. The one with the leg and thigh attached. But it’s way too much work.

Serve with red rice and finadeni.

This my own concoction that I made by experimenting, but I swear my kids love it (age 17 months to 12 years old).

First I make the rice:

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cans chicken broth
½ onion
¼ cup tomato sauce
Canned, peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation:
Put the oil into a medium saucepan and heat to a medium temperature. Add the rice and brown it in the oil while stirring. Add the garlic when the rice is nearly browned. Add onion and stir til soft. Add the chicken broth, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Cover, with a small air escape, and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook the rice for 20 to 30 minutes but check after 20 to see if it is ready. You do not need to stir the rice or lift the lid while it cooks. It is ready when the rice is fluffy, all the liquid is gone, and the grains are split open. If it is still wet rather than dry, cook a few minutes more.

Then I make ground beef taco mix according to package directions. When the meat is done, I add the rice. In a separate bowl I mix diced onions, tomatoes, and cilantro, then toss that into the beef/rice mixture. Voila! Beef fried rice. Simple and kid-friendly.

Born Monday, January 21, 2008 @ 11:53 a.m., 7 lbs 12 oz, 21 inches long. Today my only daughter turned one. My last baby. It took four tries, but we finally got our little girl. Today was a little bittersweet. Happy to have spent a wonderful year with this wonderful little girl. A little sad that she is our last baby. But she completes our family. She is happy and sweet. The calm amongst her 3 older brothers. Happy birthday Mika-girl. We love you so very much.

Anyone that knows me and family knows that my husband does most of the cooking around our house. It’s not that I don’t know how to cook… it’s just that he cooks really well and loves doing it. Lately I’ve taken an interest in utilizing our Crock-Pot. I’ve tried three recipes that I absolutely love and am astounded that it’s taken me all these years to discover the joys of Crock-Pot cooking. It’s so ridiculously easy. So I will share my first three tries and passes:

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil or vegetable oil
4 potatoes, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (not sweetened)
1 bag frozen peas (10 ounces defrosted)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh … Read Morecilantro, basil, or Thai basil chopped for garnish

Directions:
Coat bottom of a skillet with oil and place on stovetop set to medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté until soft.
Move onions, garlic, and jalapeno to one side of pan and brown chicken breasts on other side. Pan must be hot and chicken breasts dry to brown.
Place stoneware in slow cooker heating base, and add onion mixture, chicken, potatoes, chicken broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper, and curry powder. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 2-3 hours.
During the last thirty minutes of cooking time, add the peas.
Garnish with cilantro or basil.

Mexican Crock-Pot Chili

Ingredients:

2 (15 1/2 oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 (4 oz.) can green chili peppers, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried, crushed leaf marjoram
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

Preparation:
In skillet brown ground beef and drain. In crockery cooker combine all ingredients. Cover, cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours. Remove bay leaf and stir before serving. Serve with cornbread. Makes about 6 to 8 hearty servings.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients:
6 – 8 small green peppers, tops removed and seeded
1 10-oz. package frozen corn, partially thawed
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp Worcestersire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp ketchup

Directions:
Wash peppers and drain well. Combine all remaining ingredients except ketchup in mixing bowl. Stir well. Stuff peppers 2/3 full. Pour 3 tablespoons of water into the stoneware. Arrange stuffed peppers in stoneware. Pour ketchup over top of peppers. Cover cook on Low 7 to 9 hours or on High 3 to 5 hours.