Chicken and a Slow Cooker

Buying a whole chicken is not only budget-friendly, but it allows the whole bird to be utilized.  Here's what i do when i buy a whole chicken:

Cook the chicken in the slow cooker.  Don't have one?  Buy one.  They're worth their weight in gold.  I have two and have used them both simultaneously on more than one occasion. Sloppy joes in one and buffalo chicken dip in the other, for example.

1. Preheat the broiler setting on the oven. 
2. On a greased baking pan, rub the chicken with extra virgin olive oil, then special herbs/spices. Yeah, I did that on purpose.  Choose what you like.  Experiment; be present in the cooking process. Oh shit! I just used a semicolon. 
3. Put the chicken in the preheated oven for 4-5 minutes so the skin gets a tan.
4. While the chicken is in the oven, add enough water or broth to cover the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. When the oven-time is up, carefully remove the chicken from the oven and put it in the crockpot.
6. Since i had to go to work, i put the slow cooker on low and let it cook from 8 until 6.  Longer than i'd like.  Generally i'd cook it on high for 4 or 5 hours.
7. Remove from slow cooker and separate the meat from the bones.  

In this instance, i took the breasts and ate them over rice with freshly squeezed lemon.  Refrigerate leftover meat.

Use the bones to make chicken stock (broth).  I googled the difference and apparently stock is just bones and water.  Broth contains seasoning.  Stock + Seasoning = Broth.  Math y'all!  Disclaimer: if you're on a gameshow and that's the question and you get it wrong it's not my fault.  If you get it right, a 10% donation of the winnings is appreciated.

1. Put the leftover bones back in the slow cooker with the juices.
2. Cook overnight or for 8 -12 hours
3. Pass stock through a strainer or sieve to remove bones

Upon putting the bones into the crockpot, i proceeded to cut up assorted veggies for the next day's soup.  Again, choose what you like.  Do you.

Make chicken noodle soup. (with a soda on the side)

1. Place cut up veggies in the slow cooker.  
2. Add additional broth or water if needed.
3. Cook on low all day. (8 - 10 hours)
4. 30 minutes prior to eating, add the leftover chicken to the crock pot.  Boil water for the noodles.
5. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
6. When noodles are done, stir into soup and enjoy.

There you have it!  Multiple meals from just one motherclucker!  See what i did there?

Gluten Free - Day 4

This morning i made one of my favorite gluten-free breakfasts, the eggocado.  I was first introduced to this meal in Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Chef.  The recipe is simple and the result is delicious.  Allow me to walk you through the steps.

Preheat the oven to 425 and get all your ingredients together. (Not pictured is the baking dish, a bowl to beat the egg, a knife, a fork, and salt & pepper)

Beat one egg.  Split the avocado in two and remove the pit.  Scrape out some of the insides (if necessary) and carefully pour in the egg.  I spilled some...

Bake for 16 - 18 minutes or until the egg is firm.  Add salt and pepper if desired and enjoy!

All is not well, though, in 21-day challenge land.  I allow myself a cheat day where i eat anything i want.  Friday we decided to go out to dinner so i decided that Friday would be the day.  Instead of enjoying an adult beverage with my dinner, i decided that i'd forego the overpriced drink and just go buy some beer at the grocery store afterward.

Big mistake!  That beer is delicious.  I only drank one on Friday night, meaning i had three more to stare at all weekend.  Tim Ferriss warns in his aforementioned book that on cheat days you should either completely consume everything or throw it out.  Leaving it around is too much of a temptation.  He was right.  I drank one on Saturday and the remaining two on Sunday.

The good news is that the beer's gone.  I know there's gluten-free options out there but i have yet to try any.