Sweet Potato Chicken Stew

This stew is "perfect", according to my boyfriend, and I am inclined to agree. It is simple, healthy, and tastes amazing. Also, it is cooked in a crock-pot so there is next to no clean-up and you can leave for the day while it works its magic. The stew is an amalgam of recipes that my mother-in-law gave me several years ago when I first got a crock-pot. That cock-pot passed on so this year she got me another one for christmas and this stew was my first opportunity to try it out. If you don't own a crock-pot you really should invest in one because they are super convenient to have around.

However, if you don't have one and still want to make this stew, just put everything in a big pot instead and cook it over a low to medium flame for several hours. I think it would be just fine. Also, I use tarragon in this recipe, and it has come to my attention that many people don't use this fine spice. That is a crying shame because tarragon imparts a very unique and wonderful flavor to foods that is both mildly sweet and also savory.

Happy cooking/crock-potting!


Sweet Potato Chicken Stew with Apples
3-4 Chicken Breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 Sweet Potatoes peeled and cubed
2-3 Yukon Gold Potatoes (or regular potatoes) cubed
3 Apples peeled and cubed
About 20 oz. Chicken Broth (enough to cover what is in the crock-pot, but you can use some water too)
1-2 tablespoons minced Garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Basil
1 1/2 teaspoons Tarragon
1 Cinnamon Stick (if you don't have cinnamon sticks use about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder)
Salt and Pepper to taste - use plenty of salt, it takes a lot to season pot
Spices are approximate as I kind of just dumped stuff in
Put the chopped chicken in the crock pot and pour just enough chicken broth over it to cover. Turn crock-pot on low. Let the chicken start cooking for about an hour while you chop up everything else. Put the sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and apples in the crock-pot with the garlic and spices and pour in the chicken broth/water until everything is almost covered. Stir. Let cook on low (stirring periodically if you wish) for about 4 or 5 hours. You can also let it cook on high and it will probably get done an hour sooner. Serve!

Apple Cream Coffee Cake

This is such a moist toothsome coffee cake! It is great for brunch or as a snack any time of the day. This is a really simple coffee cake to make, no yeast dough to worry about and it bakes in 40 minutes. I have had good luck substituting other fruits in the filling, this time around I used pears. You could also probably substitute yogurt (preferable greek since it is thicker) for the sour cream if you don't have any sour cream on hand. I have also left out the nuts when I didn't have any on hand and no one ever complains because the cake stands well on its own.

This will be my last post for a week or so because I am heading up to northern Florida to go on a camping/bike trip. We will be covering 327 miles on our bikes, touring the springs and camping in that area! I am excited.

Happy baking while I am away!

Apple Cream Coffee Cake
Topping
1/2 cup Pecans
1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 cup Sugar
Batter
1/2 cup Butter softened
1 cup Sugar
2 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sour Cream
2 Apples sliced thin

butter, eggs, and sugar

Combine toppings in a small bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar together, beating until light colored and fluffy. Add in eggs and beat until mixture has thickened a little (from the eggs) then add in the vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream, mixing well after each addition. Spread half the batter into a greased 10 inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Sprinkle half of the topping onto the batter and top with all of the apple slices then put the rest of the batter evenly on top and sprinkle with the remaining topping. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until cake tests done when you stick a knife into it (knife should come out clean, with only a few crumbs not with uncooked batter).

About to go into the oven

Remove from the oven and let rest for about 30 minutes then remove from the pan and cool completely. Serve!