In Love

I need to dedicate a post to that loveliest of lovelies... the slow-cooker. I love that thing. It's like a magic cauldron, you put in anything and in five hours, it comes out tasting like pure awesomeness.

Today it's potatoes, onion, carrots, chicken thighs, fresh rosemary and chicken broth. It makes the whole house smell like heaven.

I'm a pretty good cook, but for someone who doesn't know how to boil water, the slow-cooker is a God send. Taco soup, chili, chicken and dumplings, roasts, turkey, anything.

If you don't own one. Get one. You can thank me later.

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Here is one of my favorites:

Sweet n' Tangy Chicken
from Taste of Home, which my Great Aunt Hannah gave me (emphasis on the word 'great')
Serves 4

1 med. onion, chopped
1½ tsp. minced garlic
4 chicken thighs (or 1 broiler chicken cut up, or chicken breasts, or whatever else!)
2/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tblsp. chili powder
1 tblsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 tblsp. corn starch
3 tblsp. cold water

In slow cooker, combine onion and garlic; top with chicken. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper and pepper sauce; pour over chicken

Cover and cook on low for 4½-5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Transfer cooking juices to a saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chicken
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The power of the slow-cooker. I don't often have Tabasco sauce on hand, so I use red pepper flake or cayenne. Sometimes I use garlic powder. This barbecue sauce is a lot like my grandma's (brown sugar, ketchup) and it just tastes like... my childhood.

I have enough sauce left over for the next night to pour over hamburgers or hot dogs.