CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS

This recipe, from About.com Southern Food, was rated 5 stars. Since I don't use my crockpot nearly enough, I thought I would give it a try. Having dinner taken care of early in the day is definitely a plus for the crockpot. And Guy loved it. But I thought it came up short of my current fave. Don't get me wrong, this was enjoyable. But it kind of reminded me of a 1960's casserole dish. Not that there's anything wrong with that either, but I just can't give it a top rating, even with the changes I made to "beef" it up a bit. Would I make it again? You bet, especially if I needed to throw things in a crockpot so I didn't have to worry about dinner later. That's what the crockpot is for, after all.

Crockpot Chicken and Mushrooms
Adapted from About.com Southern Food
Rating: 7.5 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided use
3-4 chicken breasts, skin off, bone in
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup drinking quality dry white wine
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup fat-free half and half
hot cooked noodles
2 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread
1/2 pkg. frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. oil; brown chicken on all sides; transfer to crockpot. Add 1 Tbsp. SB to skillet; add onion; saute till transparent. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds; transfer to crockpot. Add 1 Tbsp. SB to skillet, add mushrooms; saute till starting to brown. Stir in soup, peppers, salt, thyme sprigs and wine, and let the mixture bubble up. Spoon over chicken in crockpot. Cover, cook on high for 5 hours. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let it cool a bit. Stir flour into H&H; stir into sauce to thicken. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Tear or cut chicken into pieces; discard bones. Put chicken back into crockpot; reduce heat to low.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is done, add peas. Drain; return to pot with SB and parsley. Keep warm. Yield: 4 servings

COMFORT FOOD: CHICKEN TORTELLONI

This is my week for tortelloni. In my fridge, I had chicken, broth and a package of tortelloni, and this recipe used it all and was delicious to boot. Fussy Guy had a second helping. This is really chicken tetrazzini in a slightly different format -- what's not to like? Serve it with a nice green salad and some corn on the cob.

Comfort Food: Chicken Tortelloni
Rating: 9 out of 10
INGREDIENTS:
9 oz. pkg. tortelloni, your favorite flavor
4 Tbsp. Smart Balance Buttery Spread (or extra-virgin olive oil), divided use
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced thin (or use white mushrooms if you prefer)
1/2 cup sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup drinking-quality white wine (optional)
1/2 cup fat-free half and half (Land o' Lakes, only)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 1-1/2 to 2-quart baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside. While pasta is cooking, heat a large, heavy fry pan or saute pan using medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance and the mushrooms and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or till veggies are wilted, turning down heat if necessary to keep from burning. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Combine veggies with pasta. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. Smart Balance in the pan that cooked the veggies. Stir in flour until smooth, then add the wine, whisking as it goes in, then the chicken broth slowly, whisking while you add it. Continue to stir and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the half and half, cheese, seasonings and chicken. Combine the pasta and veggies with the sauce and spoon into the prepared baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes, or till top is lightly browned and bubbly. Yield: 3-4 servings