Easy Three Bean Chicken Stew – A Slow Cook Dish

Three Bean Chicken Stew

There’s something reassuring about having dinner in the slow cooker on a busy day.  It affords me the freedom to enjoy myself, even if it’s just getting things done at home.  I think the whole family likes the smell of a home cooked meal.   We can almost taste in the air, the flavors mingling together to form rich juices & tender meats.  Somehow at the end of a more productive day, I feel a sense of accomplishment, & my reward is a simple yet delicious dinner – the result of planning ahead.

So with that being said, this recipe could not get any easier, but the flavor would have you believe otherwise!

Amazing Chicken Stew, Enchilada Style

Chciken Stew, Enchilada Style

In a word, A-MAZ-ING!   I had a request for a low carb meal, and I came up with this one on the spot.  This is great because you can add all of the ingredients in a casserole dish with a lid, and bake in the oven for 1 – 1/2 hours (or the slow cooker!) and forget about it, knowing that the flavors will mingle & be even better with a little time!

Italian Sausage Puff Bake

Italian Sausage Puff Bake

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

The idea for this recipe came from my love of bread and egg casseroles, both savory and sweet that I make for brunch.  I decided that since this works so well for breakfast and brunch, why not create something for dinner using Italian ingredients?

Southwestern Quinoa

Southwestern Quinoa

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

Southwestern Quinoa you ask?  Sure, why not?!  Anaheim green chilies are really plentiful in Tucson this time of year, and you can usually purchase them by the box or burlap bag at many of the markets.  If you’re really fortunate, you’ll find a temporary roasting station set up outside, that will do the roasting for you, which will save a lot of time.  Many Tucsonans take advantage of this seasonal market (coming from New Mexico) to package and freeze the chilies for future use.

Ground Beef & Broccoli Curry

Ground Beef & Broccoli Curry

“One Pot Wonder” is the term we jokingly refer to in our home, when we reference this type of dish.  “What’s for dinner, Mom?”  I reply, “Oh, just a one pot wonder.”  What’s the definition of this term?  Hmm…usually a very simple week night meal,

Toasted Sesame & Rainbow Chard

Toasted Sesame & Rainbow Chard

I just love the freshness of this recipe.  It evolved from my habit of putting soy sauce and fresh cracked pepper on lightly cooked greens, then I tweaked it from there.  Simple, flavorful, healthy…you really couldn’t ask for more.

Cheater Chicken Enchiladas

Cheater Chicken Enchiladas

Do you remember back in the 90’s when it was sort of a thing to make a quick enchilada casserole out of corn tortilla chips? (Did I just say that out loud?  Yikes! I’m showing my age!)  Anyway, I needed a quick dinner last night and threw this one together. Easy peasy. It’s so easy, I’m almost embarrassed posting it here. Don’t judge!  But I’ll tell ya what…it was really yummy and satisfying.  🙂

Sicilian Sausage w/ Vegetables & Ravioli – Just a Weeknight Meal, and a Little Bit of Home

Sicilian Sausage w/ Vegetables & Ravioli

A quick little weeknight meal, made by sauteing garlic, onion and mushrooms in a small amount of butter and olive oil.  I added some cooked Sicilian sausage medallions,  and a little cooked broccoli.  After this was heated through, I added chopped spinach, allowing it to wilt.  Freshly chopped Roma tomatoes were added  after removing from the heat. I wanted to keep the flavor light, so in addition to the fresh garlic that was added earlier, I seasoned with only Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, and a light sprinkling of nutmeg. I took a cue from Sandra Lee  (Semi-Homemade) by incorporating a purchased, but delicious item, Giovanni Rana’s Artichoke Ravioli, cooked then tossed in a little white sauce, then spooned over the vegetable/sausage dish.   Serve with Parmesan, salad, and crusty bread. A very simple dinner idea, but delicious all the same.