Summertime Crock Pot Cooking

Too hot to use the oven?  Try your crock pot instead!  Owner of Golden Fig, Laurie Crowell, shares her recipes that prove that summertime is the perfect time to use it!

BBQ Chicken with Mango Salsa

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken (you can use all breast, but thigh also gives good flavor at about 1/2 the price)
2 TB Barbecue Herbs (or another favorite grilling type spice)
6 oz. dark beer
1 onion - minced
1 C barbecue sauce (divided in half)

Rub chicken with spice blend. Place in slow cooker with beer, onion and 1/2 C barbecue sauce and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

Remove chicken from crockpot, and shred with 2 forks.

Remove liquid from crock pot and reserve.

Place shredded chicken in crock pot, add remaining half cup barbecue sauce and a bit of the reserved liquid.

Leave on warm for up to 3 hours

Serve on a bun with a scoop of mango salsa on top!

Mango Salsa 

2 mangoes peeled and diced
2 radishes thinly sliced
1 small red onion - diced
1 TB herbed vinegar
2 TB chopped cilantro
1/2 fresh jalapeno seeded and diced.

Mix all ingredients together and serve on top of sandwich
 

Simple Herbed Chicken and Summer Vegetables

2 TB butter
1 lb carrots, cut into chunks
4 stalks celery
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lb fingerling potatoes
1 TB Herbes de Provence
3 lbs. Chicken-breast, thigh, leg (skin removed)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C chicken stock

Place celery, carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes in slow cooker

Pour stock in

Rub butter on chicken

Sprinkle Herbes de Provence and salt over top

Cook on low 7-9 hours

Cook on high 3.5-5.5 hours until chicken is tender

Fresh Berry Crisp

3 c fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries etc)
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C apple cider
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 TB butter cut into small pieces
2 C your favorite granola

Butter inside of slow cooker.

Toss berries with brown sugar and place in slow cooker

Mix together apple cider, vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and juice. Pour over berries.

Cook on high for 2 hours with lid slightly askew*

Cook on low for 4 hours with lid slightly askew

* at the half way point, sprinkle butter and granola on top.

If too liquid let cook up to another 1/2 hour.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream

(cherries, peaches, apples etc are all delicious substitutes for the berries in this recipe.)