Slow Cooker Gospel

Today in San Diego, the temperatures at the coast are hovering in the 90's;

I'm not complaining, we've had a colder than normal summer, and we can tolerate a bit of heat for a few days as long as there aren't any fires. 
Most of us look to our slow cookers during the cooler months, dust it off, bring it out to make soups, stews and all manner of braised stick-to-your-ribs fare, but the slow cooker is also a great low and slow oven to use during the hotter months of the year. 
Poach chicken breasts for salad, bake potatoes,make an egg casserole,a peach cobbler, lemon pudding cake, or even tuna noodle in your slow cooker; it may not be the most stylish appliance on your counter, but it sure is versatile!  

Today I'm poaching chicken breasts to make a curried chicken salad for Dr. C and I.  He heard someone say turmeric and curry are really good  for you, so I'm making something relatively healthy for dinner.  On days like today, I'm not hungry, I drink gallons of water.  My slow cooker will poach the chicken breasts in 2 hours, while I go and do some errands. When I return I'll pull them apart, cool them, make the salad, and serve it with a side of fruit. 

Fresh chives from the garden--snip with Joyce Chen scissors

 2 ribs celery

Chop the celery

Core the apple, and finely chop--remember an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Two half chicken breast halves, perfectly cooked in the slow cooker

Dressing ingredients---sweet Major Grey chutney, Best Foods Mayonnaise, and Penzeys' sweet curry powder or Madras curry powder

Curried Chicken Salad

Serves 4 to 6

One Gala apple, cored, and finely chopped

2 ribs celery with leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons snipped chives

2 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Major Grey chutney, chopping any larger pieces

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sweet or Madras curry powder

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. 
   
   In a bowl, combine the apple, celery, chives, and chicken.
2. 
   
   In another small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chutney, curry and lemon juice, stirring until blended. 
3. 
   
   Stir into the chicken mixture, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, to let the flavors get to know each other. 
4. 
   
   Serve over a lettuce, or spinach salad, or spread in a sandwich on whole grain bread. 

Bon Appetit!