Is Using a Crock Pot Cheating? My Wife Doesn't Mind...

I have a confession to make. Although I love to cook, sometimes I don't…love to cook. I love to cook for occasions, but most Mondays thru Thursdays aren't occasions. And so, there are many nights I just want to cook something good, but I also want to cook something especially easy.

I think of my crock pot as my gourmet-mistress. Using it feels a little cheap and tawdry. But after a long day, well, what can I say? Sometimes I want something cheap and tawdry, but still tasty. And since my wife's motto is "My favorite thing to make for dinner is a reservation," she doesn't mind at all that I have these flings with the crock pot. So there, I've admitted it. I feel better. Now, on to the recipe that will make you want to cheat, at least once a week.

Chicken Ragout a la Crock de'Pot

This recipe feeds 8, but I like to make it for our family of 3 (including our one growing boy who eats like 2 people) and then freeze for later…oooh la la, -leftovers…the ultimate cheating!

You'll need:

4 medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 pkgs. Crockery Gourmet Seasoning Mix for Chicken (This is the one I use. I get it at my local grocer. But I do see it is available on line at Amazon and other outlets.)
1 lb. Baby Bella Mushrooms / sliced
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup fresh chopped tarragon
2 tbs. Butter or Margarine
1 bottle of white wine, I use Sauvignon Blanc -2 cups for the recipe-the rest for the cook
Rice for 8 servings (I normally like brown or wild rice, but for this recipe, white converted works best)
1 loaf Crusty French Bread from the local Bakery

Mix thoroughly in the crock pot the 2 pkgs. of Crockery Gourmet Seasonings, 4 cups of water, and 1 cup of white wine. Add the 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts. (I have a large crock pot and the chicken breasts easily lay side by side without crowding)
Set on low (for about 8 hours) and head out to enjoy your day.

About an hour before dinner, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter and then sauté the mushrooms….as Julie told us in Julie and Julia, "don't crowd the mushrooms;" after about 5 minutes, add one cup of wine, (and a glass for yourself) the parsley and tarragon and continue cooking for about another 5 minutes.

While that is cooking, take out each chicken breast and with your chef's knife, cut cross ways, across the grain, from round end to tip end, and gently mash as you cut to give the bite sized pieces a kind of pulverized look. After cooking in the crock pot all day, the chicken should have a slightly stringy texture to it. Return the cut up chicken to the crock pot; add the mushroom mixture; mix all together and cover. Prepare the rice according to directions, (I use Uncle Ben's converted, this takes about 20 minutes) pre-heat the oven for French Bread, and pour another glass of wine.

(At this point I like to put my face slightly over the boiling steam rising from the pot for the rice, to give me a warm, moist glow, like I've been really hard at work on this recipe. This is optional, depending on how much attention and love you require from your family. Apparently with me, it's a lot.)

Once you get the rice going, step into the living room where the family is invariably enjoying the evening news or some such TV programming, and let them know what a challenge this has been, "but you are sure they will find it worth it!" Enjoy your wine, -and the accolades about the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen.

About 5 minutes before the rice is done, gently ask someone to go in and pop the French Bread into the oven, implying that you've been slaving in there ever since you got home and now someone else can finally pitch in. It will make them feel helpful and guilty at the same time.

When you finish your wine, gather everyone into the kitchen, masterfully spoon the rice into large bowls, and then cover with your Chicken Ragout masterpiece. Serve with diagonally cut crusty bread to sop up the wonderful juicy gravy. For dessert? Let them take you to Baskin-Robbins. You've done your part already. A gourmet meal on a Tuesday night deserves a special treat. Bon Appetit!