Tuesday Tidbits

 

The aftermath of the Christmas gathering has all been cleaned up.  Dishes are washed and put away, the Christmas tablecloth removed and washed, living room debris picked up, floors swept and mopped.....the worst part of hosting is the clean up.  One thing I have learned, when someone says they are coming early to help, don't count on the help.  Two, don't count on people bringing what food they say they will bring.  Hence the dip I made at the last minute.  

I also learned that the day after a gathering is the best morning to have a make-ahead breakfast ready to simply pop in the oven.  We did not, and I did regret not having one ready.  I will definitely remember next time.

Finished!  Off the list now.  My husband's scarf is done.

I mentioned we tried a new dip recipe - Sausage Artichoke Dip (The Southern Lady Cooks, link goes to the recipe online).  It is very good, although we think we may use "hot" breakfast sausage (or homemade) next time we make it.  Everyone loved it.

Bonus:  It's a crock pot dip recipe, and can be thrown together very quickly.  We keep canned chilis on hand for several recipes.

The new gadget I mentioned the other day - a water pump for a 5 gallon water jug (we have well water).   You simply charge it, and put it on the top of the jug.  No expensive water system, and no flipping it upside down.  It works great, but we did notice that not all 5 gallon jugs are the same.  We first got a jug at a farm store, which the pump worked, but did not securely attach.  Other stores sell the jugs that properly fit this, but we love it.  No more filling 10 gallon jugs, and having to make room for them.  

(available on Amazon, and inexpensive, and no I am not an affiliate for this product, as it was just recommended)

How to make the most tender shredded chicken. . .

 

I have noticed, when I make an all-in-one chicken dinner in the crock pot (with chicken breast), it is the most tender chicken.

So....

I started to do this, for any baked casserole dinner that has shredded chicken as an ingredient - place organic chicken breasts (fat trimmed) into a crock pot (I salt and pepper it first) and cover with organic chicken broth (low sodium).  I cover the chicken completely with the broth.

I cook this on low all day.  I haven't really kept track of the hours, but maybe 6-7 hours.  I then turn off the crock pot, and shred the chicken, and add to whatever recipe I am baking in the oven.  I've even done this the day before, that way the chicken is already done.  It is the most tender chicken for our recipes.  

Note:  The chicken is so tender I use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the crock pot, or it simply falls apart in the crockpot.  It makes it easier to get to the cutting board to shred.

I don't know why I haven't even thought of this before, after making so many crock pot chicken dinners, but I've tried it twice, and my husband said to me, "whatever you did with the chicken, keep doing it!"  So much better than say boiling chicken to shred.  

Note:  I never buy canned shredded chicken unless we are taking a specific chip dip to a gathering.  However, I will be doing this instead next time.