Apricot Chicken in the Slow Cooker

This post was inspired by my old school friend Holly.  She contacted me recently for a recipe for Apricot Chicken to use in her new slow cooker.  This was an untested recipe I had on file.  While Holly tested it out at her house I decided to give it a go with my homemade French onion soup mix.  It turned out sweet and tasty, with a nice hint of spice.  Hubby went back for more, which is always a good sign he liked it.

Apricot Chicken and Brown Rice

Apricot Chicken Recipe 

500g chicken (breasts or thighs)

400ml apricot nectar

1 packet of French onion soup (or my homemade mix if you're MSG free)

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 400g can apricots, drained

Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces.  Put the chicken into the slow cooker, followed by the other ingredients and stir until well mixed.  Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours. 

Serve with brown rice and vegetables - anything you like! 

Now doesn't that look good? Just like a golden sunset in a bowl!

Hmm, sweet, spicy apricot sauce... *Homer drools*

 

*Note* If the sauce is a little thin, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour with about a 1/4 cup of water until smooth, then add to the dish.  Mix through and allow to cook out for a few minutes.  When you go to serve the sauce should cling to your chicken a little better.   

I didn't add extra vegies this time, testing it out on a picky hubby. Next time I think some peas or green beans, or some strips of red capsicum would be nice, added in 30 minutes or so before serving so they don't break down too much.  You could also add a handful of chopped dried apricots to add a more intense apricot flavour and chunkier texture. My canned apricots broke down to almost a jam-like consistency. 

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This sweet, buttery cake was made for my sister-in-law Georgia's birthday yesterday (Happy birthday if you're reading Georgie!). The recipe comes from my favourite Nigella Lawson cookbook, Nigella Express.  It is very simple to make, and tastes so good, everyone will love it.  The cake is light and moist.  The tartness of the pineapple cuts through the sweetness of the cherries and the cake, giving it a nice balance.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

butter for greasing

2 tbsp sugar

6 slices of pineapple rings in juice, a 225g can is perfect,

   plus reserve 3 tbsp of the juice

glace cherries, approx 75g total

100g flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g soft butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees, or 180 degrees if fanforced. Butter a non-stick cake pan measuring approximately 20 - 23cm in diameter.

Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar on top of the buttered base of the cake pan, and then arrange the pineapple slices to make a circular pattern, starting with one in the centre and working half slices around the outside.

Fill each pineapple ring with a glace cherry, and then dot one in each of the spaces in between.

Put the all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl with the butter, caster sugar and eggs.  Mix using electric beaters or a kitchen-aid if you're lucky enough to own one. The mixture will be quite thick, a bit like a soft biscuit dough.  Pour in the 3 tablesoons of pineapple juice one at a time, beating between each one, to thin it a little. The mixture should be smooth and a bit fluffy after this. 

Pour this mixture carefully over the cherry-studded pineapple rings; it will be just enough to cover it. Spread out very gently, being careful not to disturb the cherrys.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check at the 25 minute mark. If it's still jelly-wobbly in the middle then give it another 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.  Then ease a spatula or a thin knife around the edge of the pan to make sure your cake is nice and loose. Place a plate or cooking rack on top, and quickly flip it upside-down. Tap the bottom of the pan lightly to make sure your pineapple hasn't stuck, then remove the pan.  Voila! Upside-down cake! 

*note* I found the easiest way to get the butter soft enough for this was to leave it out overnight to soften.While soft and messy, this made it perfect for whipping up with the beaters, adding to the fluffiness of the cake. Also, other fruit can be used as an alternative. I've made it using dessert pears in chocolate sauce with cherries as well.

Ruby cherry jewels set amongst golden pineapple rings.

The results after visiting Georgia's house. All gone!