Every Sunday at our local farmer’s market, I buy a whole chicken from the great folks at Healthy Family Farms (we also get our eggs from them). I like to make a Simple Roast Chicken every Sunday, but several weeks ago the farmer that sells the me chickens asked if I had ever tried cooking a whole chicken in a slow cooker. I had not. I listened as she told me just how easy it was to prepare, but I was still in disbelief at how simple her description was. No oil? No butter? No broth? Just a few herbs, lemon and salt? Really?! I immediately went home that afternoon and with practically no effort, prepared a chicken that was about as good as any I had ever tasted. My whole family was wide-eyed as we took our first bites — the chicken was moist, tender and juicy and the consistency is almost like pulled pork because the meat literally falls off the bone.

This recipe is embarrassingly simple and incredibly healthy, but the best part is that it essentially cooks itself. There’s almost no work involved, and I love that I can cook a whole chicken and then keep the meat in the fridge to make Weelicious Mac, Chicken and Cheese Bites, Chicken, Bean and Cheese Quesadillas or Chicken and Rice Burritos throughout the week!

Not only did Kenya, our friends, my hubby and I fall in love, but guess who ate more then her fair share of chicken? That’s right, baby Chloe. She was like a little chicken eatin’ machine, putting piece after piece into her mouth.

If cooking a whole chicken has always seemed daunting to you, try this version. It’s so simple, you’ll have a hard time finding reasons not to. Check out this video if you want to see how we did it.

Chicken in a Crock Pot (Serves 4)

1 4 Lb Whole Chicken
2-3 Thyme Sprigs
1 Lemon, cut in half
Salt (preferably kosher salt)

1. Stuff the chicken with the thyme and lemon halves and sprinkle the outside with salt.
2. Place the chicken in a crock pot (also known as a slow cooker).
3. Place the cover on the crock pot and cook on high for 2 hours (2 1/2 hours for a 5 pound chicken).
4. Using a meat thermometer, make sure the chicken is cooked to 160 degrees (the times on different slow cookers may vary).
5. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces (this allows the juices to redistribute and the chicken to remain extremely juicy).
6. Serve.
*The skin on the chicken won’t be golden because this is more of a steaming method, but the meat will be outrageously moist, tender and juicy.

As much as possible on weelicious, I enjoy coming up with recipes that are super easy, fun and fast. With each one I try and put myself in the shoes of parents that have never entered a kitchen before having kids. I think these Apple Butter Turnovers fit the easy, fun and fast criteria. They are really simple to make, especially if you’ve made pie crust before. But if you haven’t, that’s OK. Just buy a box of ready-made pie crust and no one will know the difference. You can make things even easier and buy a jar of apple butter, but I have to say that making your own is incredibly satisfying and requires nothing more than cooking a few apples until they’re chunky and tender.

When I was a kid, I had a major thing for McDonald’s apple pies. They were crispy, sweet and I loved getting to hold the little pie in my hand (I’m starting to worry that between yesterday’s Crispy Onion Rings recipe and today’s post, you guys are going to think I was raised in fast food joints!). These days, I avoid fast food, but when these came out of the oven and I took the first bite, I was elated that I would be able to let Kenya experience the great taste of one of my favorite childhood food memories, without exposing him to a whole host of ingredients I don’t want him eating.

Well, he loved them. No doubt these will be a huge hit with your kids too, and then you can consider them your own version of “fast” food.

Apple Butter Turnovers (Makes 8-10 Small Turnovers)

8 Tbsp Butter, chilled and cubed
8 Tbsp Shortening or Lard, chilled and cubed
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt
5-6 Tbsp Ice Water
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Water
Apple Butter

*If you’re using pre-made pie crust, skip ahead to step #5.

1. Place the first 3 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the water in the food processor and pulse a few times until the dough starts to come together.
3. Place the dough on a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.
4. Refrigerate the pie crust dough for 30 minutes or until chilled.
5. Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick.
6. Using cookie cutters, cut out turnovers into desired shapes (If you are making 8 turnovers, you need 16 cut-outs, one for the top and one for the bottom).
7. Place one cut-out on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, top with 2 tsp of apple butter (depending on the size of your shape) leaving a 1/4 inch border around the cut-out.
8. Combine the honey and water together in a separate bowl.
9. Brush the 1/4 inch border with the honey water, place matching pastry shape on top of the apple butter and using the tines of a fork, gently press down to seal the dough.
10. Brush the remaining honey water on top of each turnover.
11. Using the tip of a knife, cut several slits through the dough (to allow ventilation).
12. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
13. Cool and serve.

How often does the clock strike 5 and you realize “oh *%#@, I haven’t even thought about what to make for dinner!” The night that I came up with these rice & cheese balls was one of those times, and since then, it’s become a total household favorite. The recipe is incredibly easy and you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already. All you do is cut cheese sticks into cubes, use your hands to wrap the rice around them into balls and then steam them quickly. For extra flavor and added nutrition, I like to give them a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

I find that whenever food appears fun or has a hidden surprise, kids are most excited about eating it. This dish satisfies both criteria: it’s shaped like a ball (fun!) and has a cheesy center (surprise!). As soon as Kenya took a bite and realized there was gooey, melted cheese inside his rice ball, it was as if he found a new best friend! He just looked up at me with utter surprise and joy and said, “Mommy, there’s cheese!” Literally love at first bite.

(This is a great idea for the lunch box, too!)

Rice & Cheese Treasures (Makes 14 1 1/2 inch balls)

2 Cheese Sticks (I use mozzarella or cheddar)
1 Cup Cooked Rice, brown or white (it helps if the rice is sticky, so if you’re cooking the rice just for these ball, it helps to use a little extra water when making the rice)
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds or Gomasio

1. Cut cheese sticks into 1/2 inch cubes (it depends on the brand, but each cheese stick should make around 7 cubes).
2. Take about 2 tbsp of the rice with moist or damp hands (to avoid sticking) and place the cheese in the center, rolling the rice into a ball around it.
3. Place the rice balls into a steamer pot over boiling water for 2 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, place in the microwave for 10 seconds or just until the cheese melts.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or gomasio.
5. Serve.

From a very early age, I always knew when my parents were going out and leaving us with a babysitter: I would hear the freezer door open, the sound of something solid dropping onto a cookie sheet and about 30 minutes later, the smell of pie crust would permeate the air. As with most kids, I hated being left at home while my mom and dad went out, but I sure did love chicken pot pie so things kind of evened out. To me, there are few meals more comforting than crisp, flaky pie crust covering a creamy blend of chicken and veggies. I wanted to recreate that great childhood food memory with this recipe, but I needed to make it healthier than the Swanson frozen variety pot pie I had as a kid.

On the whole Kenya is a pretty amazing eater, but the night that I took these individual pot pies out of the oven he took one look at them and said, “I don’t want it”. My feelings were totally hurt, but I also know how finicky and tempermantal toddlers can be, so I decided not to push him and see what happened. I let Kenya continue to play in the kitchen and about 15 minutes later I saw him wander over to where the pies were cooling, take a fork and investigate his little pie. He took one bite and said, “I love it”. No joke. He went from unwilling to try it to loving it in a matter of minutes and I didn’t have to do anything but be patient. If there is one thing that I’ve learned time and again when it comes to kids and eating, it’s that pushing things on them almost always makes them more resistant to try new foods. When you let kids discover things for themselves, it gives them an ownership over what they eat and a sense of discovery with food that just can’t be achieved by cajoling, sneaking, persuading or begging.

Just giving Kenya a bit of space allowed him to fall in love with chicken pot pie all by himself. Now, if I could only figure out how to get my husband to take me out on a date I could relive my entire childhood pot pie memory!

Chicken Pot Pie (Makes 4)

Crust:

4 Tbsp Butter, chilled and cubed
4 Tbsp Shortening or Lard, chilled and cubed
1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
2-3 Tbsp Ice Water

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the water in the food processor and pulse a few times until the dough starts to come together.
3. Place the dough of a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.
4. Refrigerate the pie crust dough for 30 minutes or until chilled.

Pie Filling:

2 Cups or 1 14 oz Can Chicken Broth (I use low sodium)
2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless (about 1 Lb)
4 Tbsp Butter, divided
1 Small Onion, minced
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 Tsp Fresh or 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
Salt
1 Cup Peas (I use frozen)

1. In a saucepan, bring chicken stock and chicken breasts to a boil, reduce to a simmer, partially covered for 12 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate, reserving the chicken broth, and when cool, cut the chicken into bite size chunks.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onions for 4 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add the celery, carrots and thyme and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Melt the remaining butter into the vegetables and sprinkle the flour over and stir to make a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring to coat the vegetables.
5. Add the milk, reserved chicken broth, chopped chicken and peas and simmer over low to medium for 10 minutes or until thick and creamy.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Place 1/4 of the mixture in 4 10 oz ramekins or 1 large ramekin.
8. Dust a flat surface with flour and roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick (about the size of a pie plate).
9. Place the ramekins on the dough upside-down and cut 1/2 inch wider around to make the top crust of the pot pie.
10. Place the cut-out dough on top of the ramekin and gently pinch the sides, pressing it to make it stick.
11. Using the tip of a knife, make 3 slits on top of the dough (to allow ventilation).
12. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
13. Cool and serve.

I’m always trying to think of new recipes using the healthiest, most nutrient-packed foods available. Which raises a good question: what are the foods we should be eating? Dr. Jonny Bowden, nutritionist and author of “The Healthiest Foods on Earth”, created this list of essential foods and the reasons you should be eating them. The New York Times recently re-ran the list as one of its most-viewed stories for 2009. It’s a really great resource. To help inspire you to add these foods into your family’s diet, I amended Dr. Bowden’s list with some weelicious recipes that feature these ingredients. If you see an ingredient below that doesn’t have a weelicious recipe and link next to it, rest assured I am working on one!

1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power. Weelicious Red Beet & White Bean Hummus or Roast Beet Squares

2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches. Weelicious Chin-Wee-Se Chicken Salad

3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil. Weelicious Green Treat

4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal. Weelicious Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt, Moroccan Chicken or Baked Maple Bananas

5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it. Weelicious Pomegranate Strawberry Salad

6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked. Wee-Granola (* just add dried plums to this recipe)

7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad. Weelicious Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with Dijon mustard and onions as a spread.

9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties . (Working on it!)
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish. Weelicious Tofu Salad

10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies . Weelicious Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.

11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Weelicious Pumpkin Waffles

(This list (minus the weelicious recipes, of course) was originally published on June 30, 2008, and recently appeared on The New York Times’ list of most-viewed stories for 2009.)

Pasta and shrimp. Two of my family’s favorite foods. That’s good news for me because they’re relatively inexpensive (money saving tip: buy pre-packaged frozen shrimp in your grocery’s freezer aisle) and I can keep them on hand for quick recipes just like this one. I’m pretty sure that we eat shrimp or pasta in our house 5 days a week, so combining them in this recipe just made sense. This is one of those dishes I like to make on the nights that I’m exhausted (uh, that would be every night), and need something that is super easy to prepare, will be a hit with the family and looks totally gourmet.

Lemon-Wee Shrimp Pasta (Serves 4)

1 Tbsp & 1/4 Tsp Salt, divided
1 Lb Rigatoni
1 Lb Large Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen shrimp that I defrosted)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Cup Clam Juice
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

1. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tbsp of salt to a boil.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
3. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large non stick saute pan over medium heat.
4. Add the shrimp, garlic, salt and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Place the shrimp, garlic and 1/4 tsp salt in a saute pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through (make sure not to overcook the shrimp).
6. Remove the shrimp to a plate and pour the clam juice into the same large pan.
7. Bring the clam juice to a boil for 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
8. Whisk the butter, lemon juice and parsley into the saute pan and add the pasta, shrimp and as much of the reserved pasta water as nessecary to make a sauce to coat the pasta.
19. Serve.

I sat down last Sunday to plan the coming week’s recipes and I realized I have never made a shrimp dish for weelicious. That’s not the most earth-shattering of realizations, but I kind of surprised myself since shrimp is one of my favorite high protein foods. A lot of people dismiss shrimp as an everyday ingredient because they assume that it is too expensive, but I have fallen in love with the pre-packaged frozen shrimp at our local Trader Joe’s. I can buy a bag containing 50-70 shrimp for $5.99 and most supermarkets sell comparably priced brands (just make sure the ones you buy are peeled and de-veined).

Recently, I was asked to contribute a shrimp recipe to a new food website that is debuting soon and so I dusted off one of my old favorites: Shrimp and Hearts of Palm Ceviche. I’ve been making it for years and friends and family always request it. It’s not only fairly inexpensive to make, it’s healthy and only takes minutes to prepare. I whipped it up for our family dinner last week but didn’t expect Kenya to be too interested in it. Boy was I wrong. He ate not one, not two, but three helpings of this gorgeous dish. Kids will surprise you when you least expect it!

Shrimp & Hearts of Palm Ceviche (Makes 6-8 Appetizer Servings)

I Lb Large Cooked Shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 50-70 count frozen shrimp, defrosted)
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped fine
1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped
1 14 Oz Can Hearts of Palm, drained and cut into coins
1 14.5 Oz Diced Tomatoes, drained
1/3 Cup Chili Sauce
Juice of 1 Limes
1 Tsp Salt

1. Cut the shrimp in half, lengthwise.
2. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours until chilled or serve immediately.

* I have a huge aversion to corn syrup, so I avoid ketchup (unless it’s a brand like Krazy Ketchup) and other bottled sauces as much as possible, but this recipe begs for the small addition of chili sauce (it’s not spicy), so I made an exception. As my mother-in-law says, “everything in moderation”.

To me, rice pudding has always felt like one of those foods on the school cafeteria dessert menu that didn’t really feel like dessert or a treat. It was always gelatinous looking and tasted as if it came out of a can or box. It wasn’t until several years ago when my mother-in-law told me about her passion for homemade rice pudding that I considered making it myself. I was in culinary school at the time, so it felt like a fun challenge. My mother-in-law loves it creamy with a sweet vanilla taste, so I aimed to please and she approved of the result.

Now that we offer Kenya dessert once in a while, we try to give him things that will satisfy his sweet tooth, but are also healthy and nutritious. This rice pudding recipe, which is a weelicious spin on my other version, is heaven. It’s so easy to make and you can easily double the recipe to feed a crowd or just to have some in the fridge all week — though every time I make this, it doesn’t last that long.

Creamy Rice Pudding (Serves 4)

3 1/2 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Short Grained Rice (or Arborio)
1/2 Vanilla Bean or 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Agave

1. In a pot, bring the milk and rice to a boil.
2. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape both sides with the edge of a knife to remove the vanilla seeds. Place the seeds and vanilla bean in the pot with the milk and rice (If using vanilla extract, add it in the last few minutes of the cooking time).
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 40 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Add the agave and stir to combine.
5. Can be served warm or chilled.

OK, fine, so I made a 16 pound turkey last week and I still have tons of meat leftover. The sandwich thing is getting old in my house, so what can you do with all that extra bird that will excite your family?
A Brazilian friend of ours has made a similar dish to this for years and it’s SO delicious. I gave it a few weelicious tweaks, substituted turkey for chicken and presto, yummy Brazilian turkey polenta casserole.
This one dish meal is also perfect because is freezes beautifully, so you can make a small casserole for tonight and freeze another one for later. The carbohydrate (polenta), the vegetables and the protein (turkey) make this a well-rounded one-pot meal for dinner. And you deserve easy after days and days of cooking for Thanksgiving!
*If you can’t find quick-cook polenta, you can also make this recipe with fine cornmeal. Just note that the cooking time will increase to 30 minutes.

Brazilian Turkey Polenta (Makes 6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Garlic, chopped
1 Cup Okra, frozen or fresh
1 1/2 Cup Turkey, cooked and chopped
1 Tbsp Cilantro
1/4 Chicken Stock
4 Cups Water
1 Cup Quick-Cook Polenta (also known as fine cornmeal)
1 Tsp plus 1/4 Tsp Salt

1. Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
2. Add the okra, turkey, cilantro and chicken stock. Cook until all the ingredients are heated through.
3. Bring water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Add the polenta in a slow stream and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the polenta for 6-8 minutes or according to the package directions.
4. In a deep casserole dish, place a layer of polenta and smooth the top.
5. Place a layer of turkey mixture to cover polenta.
6. Make another layer of polenta and then top with the remaining turkey mixture.
7. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

When I was growing up, we had “family night” every Sunday at 5:30pm. It was a joyous weekly event of playing with my cousins, chatting with the adults and having the occasional family brawl over topics on ‘60 Minutes’. Regardless, it was a time that we would all be together without fail sharing food and fun. Every woman in the family (of course none of the men in the McCord clan cooked unless it was something that could be burned on a barbeque grill) had their own special recipes and for one of my aunts, it was shepherd’s pie.
I’ll be honest, I remember the first few times I walked up to the buffet line I would scrape off as much of the mashed potatoes and cheese for myself as possible, leaving the veggies and meat at the bottom for someone else to eat. I wasn’t a picky kid, but I knew what I loved.
Lately, some of my girlfriends have been starting a new tradition of
Wednesday night dinner with some of the neighborhood families. Last week I decided to make shepherd’s pie to see if any of the veggies and meat would make it to the kids’ plates. I was kind of shocked. Of course Kenya ate almost every bite (I’m either blessed or cursed that this child will eat anything), but the other kids seemed to enjoy it too, peas and all.
Shepherd’s pie is such a great family dish because you can puree it up for a baby and the toddlers, big kids and adults can enjoy it in its solid form.
Packed with protein, veggies and carbohydrates, it really is an all-in -one meal. My version of shepherd’s pie is on the healthy side. I love mashed potatoes as much as the next person, but a stick of butter and heavy cream seems a little too rich for my blood for a stay-at -home meal, so I’ve played with it to keep the flavor, but reduce a lot of the fat. So, now everyone in the family can enjoy weelicious recipes, be healthy and leave the table with full bellies!

Shepherd’s Pie (Makes 6-8 Servings)

4 Potatoes, russet or Idaho, peeled and cut into quarters
1/3 Cup Milk
4 Tbsp Butter, divided
1 Lb Ground Meat
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Carrot, diced
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Celery Stalk, diced
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Beef Stock (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup of warm water)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Cup Peas, defrosted if frozen
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water if you choose, about 1 tbsp. Add the potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Cook for 12 minutes or until fork tender.
4. Drain potatoes and mash in a ricer or by hand.
5. Add the milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter and mash until smooth.
6. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Brown the ground meat for 5-6 minutes and drain off the oil when finished. Place the meat aside.
7. Heat the olive oil in the same saute pan over medium heat and cook the onion, celery and carrot until soft and tender — about 4 minutes. Place the vegetable mixture with the meat.
8. In the same saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the flour, stirring constantly making a roux.
9. When the roux is a golden colored paste, add the beef stock and worcestershire sauce, stir with a whisk to thoroughly combine.
10. Add the meat and vegetable mixture to the sauce and combine.
11. In several individual ramekins or a large casserole dish, place the meat and vegetable mixture.
12. Sprinkle the peas on top.
13. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the peas.
14. Sprinkle the mashed potatoes with cheese.
15. Bake 30 minutes for the large casserole or 15 minutes for individual ramekins.
16. Let cool for kids. Serve warm for adults.