Crockpot Roasted Chicken

I honestly can’t believe I have never done this before. I really should use my crockpot more than I do but it kind of scares me a little. Anyway, I had heard that roasting a chicken is so easy in the crockpot so I tried it. I’m not sure that I will cook it any other way again. It’s so easy and tastes great! I made my own rub below but you could use whatever spices you wanted. One of the great things about doing this is after you are done roasting the chicken, you can make chicken bone broth that is very versatile and healthy. Bone broth is supposedly very good for its healing properties for your gut – therefore I’m making all that I can! Having extra broth around is nice anyway to give your dishes extra flavor.

 

1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs)

1 onion, quartered

1 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried sage

½ tsp dried oregano

• In a small bowl, combine spices and mix together until well blended.
•  In a crockpot, put in chicken and stuff cavity with onion. Rub spice mixture all over chicken. I also put a little rub under the skin of the chicken breast. 
• Cook on low for about 6 hours (depending on your pot’s settings). 
• Remove chicken from crockpot and serve. I usually shred mine and then whatever leftovers we have we use during the week.

 

To make the broth: remove the bones from chicken and return to the juice in crockpot. Add about 5 cups of water to chicken juices (enough to fill the crockpot) and cook on low for about 8 hours. You can also add in celery or carrots to the broth mixture before cooking for extra flavor. My crockpot made about 3 quarts of broth. 

Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Who doesn’t love a throw together casserole recipe that can be made ahead?? I know I love them! This would make a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast or brunch recipe! I love baked egg dishes; frittatas, quiches, etc. However, they are time consuming in the mornings and I don’t like to wait on them so I don’t make them often. After Thanksgiving, I had some white GF bread that was just okay. No one really ate it but I hated to throw it away so I decided to make this casserole dish. I wasn’t exactly sure how it would turn out but it is great! It is very similar to a bread pudding type recipe. The nutrients come from all the veggies this dish is loaded with. If you prefer, you could use more egg whites than whole eggs.  You could also throw in some sausage or other meat for additional flavor. This serves about 6.

6 slices of GF bread, cubed

6 eggs (or an egg/egg white mixture to equal about 1 cup)
¼ cup milk
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp sage
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
2 cups raw spinach
½ cup chopped mushrooms
¼ cup diced onions
½ cup cooked spaghetti squash or shredded potatoes
¼ cup diced carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup shredded cheese (I used dairy free Daiya cheddar style)

• In a greased 9x9 baking dish, place bread cubes.
• In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms, onions, carrots and spinach for about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and seasonings together.
• Add mushroom mixture to eggs.
• Place the spaghetti squash over the bread cubes. Sprinkle shredded cheese over bread and squash. Pour egg mixture over dish.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning, bake at 375°F for about 35-40 minutes or until eggs are set in the center.

Shrimp Dip

This appetizer is my husband’s favorite. He requests it for every get together. It is so simple to make and actually tastes better the next day so it is a perfect make ahead dish. His step-mother actually gave me the original recipe, which I have modified quite a bit to fit our dietary needs. It is my go to dish for work parties or holiday get-togethers. Make this the night before, grab a box of crackers (or make your own gluten-free crackers J) and you will be set!

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened (or use fat-free or dairy free)

1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
½ cup mayonnaise (or more yogurt)
1 small can (5 oz) tiny shrimp
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or soy cheese)

• Mix together cream cheese, sour cream and mayo.
• Add in shrimp, onions, salt, pepper and shredded cheese.
• Mix until well combined. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.