SLOWCOOKER WEDNESDAY

MORNING EVERYONE

Well today I am going to venture into town...I have packaged up some holly that I want to send to Calgary for Grumpys cousin Maureen. When ever she comes out here she always say how she loves holly and it is so expensive to get there so I thought I would send her some to decorate her house. We have a holly farm right below our street and Mr Smith every year has a stand out with holly for sale. He is such a nice old fellow has a beautiful old Sam Mclure home on a huge piece of property that is full of holly trees. If I ever won the million dollars I would love to put little white lights over every tree at Christmas time and then if mother nature would co-operate a dusting of snow and how festive would that be...ONLY IN MY DREAMS !!!!




SLOWCOOKER THAI
CHICKEN AND SHRIMP





1 package (1 pound 4 ounces) bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1 package (3.5 ounces) Thai peanut sauce mix (2 envelopes)
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped ( 1/2 cup)
3 cups water
3 cups uncooked instant rice
1 pound uncooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen and tails removed
1 cup Green giant® frozen sweet peas (from 1-pound bag)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup chopped peanuts, if desired
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1.Place chicken in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Add coconut milk. Stir in both envelopes of sauce mix, carrots and onion.
2.Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
3.About 30 minutes before serving, heat water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and stir in rice; cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork before serving.
4.Remove chicken from cooker; keep warm. Add shrimp and peas to cooker. Increase heat setting to high. Mix 1/4 cup sauce from cooker and the cornstarch in small bowl; stir into mixture in cooker. Cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink and firm and sauce has thickened slightly.
5.Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; coarsely chop chicken and return to cooker. Serve chicken mixture over rice. Garnish with peanuts and cilantro.
If you're not a shrimp lover, just omit it for a tasty Thai Chicken.
Look for Thai peanut sauce mix in the ethnic-foods section of your grocery store. Bone-in chicken is used because the bones help keep the chicken from shredding during the long cooking time.
Reduced-fat ("lite") coconut milk can be used in place of the regular coconut milk.
For a change of pace, serve over cooked jasmine rice.

Here is your appetizer today. My daughter Andrea was telling me this morning that she tried the Smoked Oinks and they were quite good. She also said that her boss Deanna is going to try the Bisquick ones hope she will let me know how they turned out.




CRABMEAT TARTLETS




Ingredients:
1 pkg (425 g) Pillsbury* Refrigerated Pie Crusts, softened as directed on package
1/3 cup (75 mL) canned crabmeat or imitation crabmeat, finely chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup (50 mL) half-and half cream (10% cream)
2 tsp (10 mL) flour
2 tbsp (25 mL) finely chopped red pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped green onion
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove pie crusts from pouches; place flat on work surface. With 2 1/2 -inch (6 cm) round cutter, cut 12 rounds from each crust. Press each round in bottom and up sides of ungreased miniature muffin cup.
Divide crabmeat evenly among muffin cups.
In medium bowl, beat half and half cream and egg with spoon until blended. Stir in red pepper, green onion and seasonings. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) egg mixture into each muffin cup. Sprinkle cheese over tops.
Bake 19 to 22 minutes or until filling is set and edge is light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans.

I know that Thriftys have tart shells already made up if you do not want to buy the crusts and roll them up they are all done for you and in their own individual foil cup for baking. But once you have cooked them do not serve them at way. Take them our of the container and serve them on a nice platter. Oh that gives me an idea , I might do a day of how to decorate your platters and tables for dinner and special occasions....

Enjoy
Cheers
Granny