Chicken Cacciatore – Main Dish

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (14 oz.) Spanish onion
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1/2-inch wide strips
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into 1/2-inch wide strips
1 (8 oz.) package baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1 (4 lb.) broiler chicken, quartered
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 pound uncooked rotini
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preparation
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.
Add onion, bell pepper and mushroom. Put chicken on top; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in crushed tomatoes; cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Chicken should be very tender.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook rotini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Transfer chicken to 4 plates. Skim fat from surface of sauce and discard. Stir parsley into sauce. Spoon some sauce over chicken. Serve remaining sauce with pasta and cheese.

Ricotta-Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients

6 medium baking potatoes

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, beaten

Additional chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Directions

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Bake potatoes about 1 hour or until tender.

2 Cut each potato in half crosswise; scoop out inside into large bowl, leaving a thin shell. Mash potatoes until no lumps remain. Stir in cheeses, 1/4 cup parsley, the pepper and egg until well blended.

3 Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Cut thin slice from bottom of each potato half if needed to stand upright. Place shells on ungreased 15×10-inch pan with sides; fill shells with potato mixture.

4 Bake about 20 minutes or until hot. Garnish with additional parsley and bell pepper.

Tips:

The stuffed potatoes can be covered and refrigerated before baking; increase the baking time to 30 minutes. Or wrap airtight and freeze; bake about 40 minutes

.If doubling the recipe, you can easily bake 12 potatoes at once, but prepare the filling for 6 potatoes at a time so that you can thoroughly blend the ingredients.

Shamrock Stew Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 1-1/4 hours

YIELD:8 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt, optional

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 to 2 pounds beef top round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

2 cups water

1 large onion, sliced

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 bay leaf

1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas

DUMPLINGS:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt if desired and pepper; set aside 2 tablespoons. Add meat to bowl and toss to coat.

2. In a Dutch oven or large soup kettle, over medium heat, cook the meat in oil until no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water and reserved flour mixture. Add onion, marjoram and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. Add carrots; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in peas. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes for until the vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf.

4. For dumplings, in a large combine flour and baking powder. Stir in milk, egg, oil and parsley if desired. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto simmering stew. Cover and cook for 12-14 minutes or until done. Do not lift the cover. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.

Parsley Smashed Potatoes Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 6 hours

YIELD:8 servings

Ingredients

16 small red potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 celery rib, sliced

1 medium carrot, sliced

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Additional minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place potatoes, celery, carrot and onion in a 4-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix broth, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and garlic; pour over vegetables. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.

2. Transfer potatoes from slow cooker to a 15x10x1-in. pan; discard cooking liquid and vegetables. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten potatoes slightly. Transfer to a large bowl; drizzle with butter. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper; toss to coat. Sprinkle with additional parsley. Yield: 8 servings.