Slow Cooker Rosemary Chicken with Butternut Squash

I happened to have some chicken breasts and a butternut squash, so I tried this recipe on a lark. So delicious!

Ingredients

• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 1½ pounds chicken thighs, browned (breasts cut in half works fine)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, for browning
• 1 medium onion, small dice
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, ground up
• 1 Tablespoon salt (I used a little less and it was plenty)
• top with shaved parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Cube the squash into 1½ inch cubes and place a 4-qt crockpot. Cut the onion into small dice and place it in with the squash.
2. If you're browning the chicken, place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and the chicken thighs. Brown for just a minute on each side. Transfer the chicken to the crockpot.
3. Pour the Homemade Cream of Chicken soup over the top and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.
4. Place the lid on the crockpot and turn to low for 6-7 hours.

Pesto Game Hens

So easy, so delicious! I prepared the game hens and put them in the fridge before work. Then all Randy had to do was toss them in the oven. Ours took 1:15. We ate them with steamed green beans. Delish!

Heat oven to 350°.

Wash hens and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper Place on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Rub about 1 teaspoon of the pesto between the skin and breast on both sides of a hen, then rub about 1 teaspoon of pesto over the skin, along with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Repeat with remaining pesto and Cornish game hens. Roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 180° in the thickest part of meat.

Note: If you spatchcock the hen, it will take only about 45 minutes to cook. If it's not as brown as you want at the end, switch to broil for a few minutes.

Mexican Chicken Stew (Slow Cooker)

Damn, this is tasty! And easy...

Ingredients

• 1 1/4
  pounds chicken or turkey breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1
  14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1
  cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 3/4
  cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 medium), or whatever pepper combo you like
• 1/2
  cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3
  tablespoons tomato paste
• 2
  teaspoons ground cumin
• 2
  teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2
  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 
  

Directions

1. in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine meat, tomatoes, onion, peppers, broth, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 hours.
3. 
   
4. To serve, ladle stew into serving bowls. Top with your favorite garnishes. We drizzled with crema Mexicana, and it was perfect!