Monday: More New Year's Greetings! It was from my in-laws, with a red envelope, too. Sent them a thank-you card.
Tuesday: So sad. I had a microbead U-shaped travel neck pillow. It didn't keep my head from falling over on the plane, but it was EXCELLENT as a head and neck support whenever I would lie down on the sofa. I used it often. But I noticed it was getting a little dirty, so I washed it Monday night, and left it hanging to dry in my bath overnight. Tuesday, I noticed it was still a little damp, so I thought I would speed things up a bit by using a hair dryer on it. That was a mistake. I think it would have been fine if I had used low, or no heat. I used high heat, and not only that, brought the nozzle close to the fabric. I burned through the fabric. Tiny little beads came oozing out. The pillow was ruined. I stuffed it into a plastic shopping bag and tied the top, to keep the little beads from going everywhere.
However, I was fascinated by the beads--they're little styrofoam beads. I saved some.
I had a great meeting with my professor during my weekly meeting, and I got all my signatures, so officially, I am ready for my proposal defense!
On Friday, I went to the tailor's to have two pairs of pants taken in. While she was pinning me, I thought that they might be too tight, but was too timid to say anything. I left, but later that night I decided that I would go back on Monday (they're closed on the weekend) to have her re-pin the pants. Did that today, and it turns out it was all in my had. She repinned them very cheerfully, and I was in and out.
And I'm waiting for a DogBone Neck Pillow to arrive from Amazon. I should be getting it tomorrow, and I'll give a review in my next post.
And, it's February, which means that planning has started for my anniversary dinner. This year, I had my husband check out a Bavarian restaurant. It got high marks, so it looks like I have a place. Invites go out later this week, I think!
This week's recipe is Moroccan chicken and prunes with couscous, cooked in a slow cooker. I've used this recipe since about 2002. It was the recipe I used for my first dinner party in my first apartment by myself. I've since used it for potlucks, too, as well as dinner for myself.
It is a delicious recipe, don't get me wrong. I intend to keep making this for many years to come. But it does take time--lots of chopping, and then pre-cooking, before you actually put everything into the crockpot to cook for several hours. But here it is (and for me, at least, it's like 6-8 servings).
I also did not make the couscous side. I made "confetti rice" instead, from the Dr. Ornish book. Basically, basmati rice with lentils, chopped carrot, and onion. His recipe called for 3 cups water, and I used 1 cup chicken broth and 2 cups water. It turned out bland. Not bad if you're going to cover it with another dish, but if you're going to eat it by itself, I would put in 3 cups chicken broth.
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Crockpot Moroccan Chicken and Prunes with Couscous
Sweet, savory, and succulent are the words author Lora Brody uses to describe this dish. Perfect for a Party, this makes 4 to 6 servings in a 4 quart Slow Cooker but can easily be doubled in a larger Cooker.
Serving: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 300 minutes
Total Time: 320 minutes
For the Chicken:
2 ½ to 3 pounds chicken parts, skinned
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup (7 ounces) pitted prunes
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Couscous and garnish:
1 ½ cups (10 ounces) uncooked couscous
1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped toasted slivered almonds
Rinse the chicken pieces well and pat dry. Brown them in the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side; you may have to brown the chicken in two batches. Transfer to the insert of the slow cooker and tuck the prunes among the chicken pieces. (I cut the prunes in half and stirred them in)
Add the onions and cumin seeds to the skillet and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and the seeds are fragrant. Pour in the broth and add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stir well, and pour it over the chicken and prunes. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 ½ hours, or until the chicken is very tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken pieces, prunes, and onions to a serving platter; mound them in the center of the platter and keep warm by loosely covering the dish with aluminum foil. (I put the crockpot on HIGH for 1 hr, then LOW for the 4.5 hours)
For Couscous
Measure 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, stir, cover, and remove the saucepan from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, and then fluff the couscous with a fork. Arrange it around the chicken on the platter, and sprinkle the chicken with the ginger, cilantro, and almonds. Pour over any leftover cooking juices.
Cook's Notes: To toast almonds, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in a preheated 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are light golden brown and fragrant.
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