Italian roast pork shoulder

This is a great dish to make for company -- it feeds a lot of people you can prep it the night before, and it roasts low and slow all day until you are ready to serve it.  When it's done, the meat just falls off the bone when prodded with a fork, and it's as juicy and flavorful as anything you've ever eaten.

1 pork shoulder (approx 9 pounds, either bone in or boneless is fine, but the bone does impart more flavor to the meat)

Kosher salt

Dried Oregano

Black Pepper

Smashed garlic cloves.

Take your pork shoulder and trim off any big chunks of fat, but don't worry about getting all of it or doing a pretty job of it -- it will all dissolve into the meat during the cooking process.

Make 6-8 slits in each side of the meat and put a smashed garlic clove or two into each of the slits.

Make a mixture that is approximately 1 tablespoon pepper, 3 tablespoons of salt, and 6 tablespoons dried oregano and slather it all over the pork shoulder, patting it into the meat.  If you have an "Italian Mix" of herbs that you want to use instead of the oregano, that's fine too.

Place the meat into a roasting pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, put the covered pan into a 250 degree oven and cook for about 3 or 4 hours.  Then uncover the pork and turn your oven up to 300 degrees.   Every 45 minutes or so, baste the pork roast with its juices (they will be plentiful!)  After 3 hours, pull at the shoulder with a fork to confirm that the meat comes off easily.  If it doesn't, cook for another hour or so.

Remove the pork from the oven about 30 minutes before serving and wrap up the shoulder tightly in a couple of layers of aluminum foil.  You can also cover it with a few towels to help keep it nice and warm.

Strain all the juices into a bowl and in about 10 minutes, skim off all the fat and the scum that rises to the top.  

When ready to serve, use large serving forks to pull all the meat off into chunks and place them on your serving platter.  If the meat in the center needs a little nudge with a carving knife, that's fine too.   Then splash all the meat with the pork juices, sprinkle with a little salt if desired, and serve.

I promise you'll earn rave reviews for this.

Shepherd's Pie

There are few dishes that scream "COMFORT FOOD" more than a good Shepherd's Pie.  What's not to love about seasoned ground meat and veggies, covered in mashed potatoes?  If this meal doesn't soothe your woes, then no food ever will.  

1 pound ground meat or tofu -- beef is most traditional, but I think a ground beef and lamb blend is best.  But you could also use turkey, chicken, tofu or any other meat substitute you like, including chick peas.

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 ribs of celery, diced

3/4 cup frozen or fresh peas

Beef, veggie or chicken stock or broth

1 tsp. smoked paprika (if you don't like the smoky flavor, just use sweet paprika)

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

 1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp. flour

In a large skillet, brown your meat or tofu, using some of the olive oil so that it doesn't stick to the pan.  When it's done, put it into a bowl and add the Worcestershire sauce so that it soaks in as the protein sits.

Add more olive oil to your pan and saute all your veggies, except for the peas.  Start with the carrots for about 3-4 minutes so they soften up.  Then add all the other veggies and add a couple pinches of salt.  Stir well and cover, keeping the veggies on low heat.  The salt will draw out moisture and the veggies will get really tender.   Stir occasionally, cooking for about 10 minutes.

Then add back in the meat, and also add the peas, paprika and thyme.  Taste the mixture and add some pepper to taste.  

Once you're happy with the flavor, add the flour and stir thoroughly through the mixture and cook it for about 2 minutes.   Then add enough stock or broth to just about cover the mixture, but not quite.

Bring this to a simmer and let it cook uncovered for about 10 minutes so the broth can thicken a bit.   Taste it one more time, adding salt or pepper if needed.

Then ladle it into some sort of oven safe dish or individual ramekins.   Cover it with a generous helping of mashed potatoes, and run a fork through the top of the mashed potatoes so there are lots of ridges.  (Optional -- sprinkle with some of your favorite cheese).

Place it in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the mashed potatoes brown a bit on the top.

When you take this out, it will be hotter than the surface of the sun, so best to let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.  Even then warn your

Mojito Marinade

When I'm on vacation, I like nothing more than a cool, refreshing mojito.  For those not familiar with this drink, it's a delicious concoction of mint, lime, rum, a bit of sugar, and seltzer.  As I was thinking about one yesterday, it occurred to me that I could make good use of all the mint leaves growing in my backyard and feed my craving with dinner.  So I put together a marinade using the ingredients in a mojito (plus a few other things), soaked my chicken thighs in it before grilling, and voila, another new recipe was born!

Though I put this on chicken, I could see it being just as delicious on pork, shrimp or scallops, or even a cut of beef like tri-tip or skirt steak.  I also sliced up some zucchini, soaked it in this for about 30 minutes, and grilled it -- the veggies were just as delicious as the meat!  And I'd bet that tofu would soak up this marinade beautifully.

It's as easy as can be -- put the following ingredients into a blender or food processor of some sort, puree the whole mixture, and you're ready to go!

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
4 cloves of garlic
Juice and zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon of honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup

If you've never had this before, you're in for a treat.  It's a hearty soup full of little mini-meatballs, and is a lot of fun for kids in particular.  They always seem to love the meatballs and all the pasta in the soup. 

To make the meatballs, mix the following together in a bowl:

1 pound of ground chicken
1 small onion, diced
1 egg
1/4 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Then form into meatballs so small they are one-bite size for a child.  (Pro-tip -- the mixture is pretty sticky; in order to roll them into a nice shape, you should wet your hands.  When the meat starts to stick, it's time to rinse your hands again.)  Put them on a non-stick cookie sheet and into a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

While they are baking, bring one gallon of your favorite chicken broth (either homemade or your favorite store bought brand) to a simmer.

To it, you can add a variety of vegetables -- it's really up to you.   I always add carrots, sliced into roughly the same size as the meatballs, and depending on what you like and what's in your fridge, you can add zucchini, celery, some chopped spinach or other leafy vegetable, the stems of broccoli, or anything else that appeals to you.  As with most Italian style soups, they're not about precision; they're about using what's available.

Let the veggies simmer until they are soft and add the meatballs when you take them out of the oven.

Finally, cook up about 1/2 pound of pasta in a separate pot, so as not to have the pasta absorb all the broth while cooking.   Small tubes are traditional, but again, it's really up to you.  I like orzo or shells.   When the pasta is done, drain it and add to the soup and then serve it up with some nice crusty Italian bread.

You can also garnish the soup with a sprinkling of grated cheese if you'd like to make it extra savory.

Buon appetito!

Bacon Onion Jam

This one is not for the faint of heart!!!  It's rich and delicious, and packs a lot of flavor, and the smells of bacon and onion will perfume your house for hours if not days.  It's yummy as a spread on toast, in a taco or wrap as a spread, or as a layer in a new twist on the BLT.

2 pounds of bacon
4 large onions
1/3 cup of packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 cup water

Start by dicing the bacon into small pieces and saute it all in a large pan until it's just shy of crisp.  Drain the bacon pieces on paper towels to get rid of excess grease.

Drain off most of the fat from the pan, leaving about 1 or 2 tablespoons to saute the onions.

Dice the onions and add to the bacon fat, tossing till they're all coated in the bacon grease.  Then cover and put on low heat.  Stir every 5 minutes or so for about 30 minutes, until they get nice and carmelized.  Then add back in the bacon and all the other ingredients.  Stir well and let the mixture simmer on low heat with a tight cover on for about 10 minutes.  Then lift the cover and continue to simmer over low heat until the water is mostly absorbed and it takes on the texture of a thick jam.

You can serve this hot or at room temperature.  It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Vietnamese-inspired Lemongrass chicken

I won't pretend this is the most authentic dish you'll ever eat, but if like me, you LOVE Vietnamese food and want to make it at home, this is an easy one to approximate.   You can also use this marinate for shrimp, pork, beef or tofu.

I like to make this with chicken tenders -- I marinate them, throw them on the grill, and wrap them up with lettuce, jasmine rice, and some shredded carrots.   But you can also use this for chicken parts, cutlets, or cut up chicken meat into small bite-sized pieces, and saute them before eating.

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 stalks of lemongrass, chopped into small circles OR 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
3 large cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
Juice of one lime
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. fish sauce

Mix this together well, so that the sugar dissolves, and marinate the chicken in it for at least 3-4 hours.  Overnight is even better.

Grill or saute until the meat is cooked through and serve either by itself, over rice or vermicelli, or in lettuce wraps.

You can also make a quick dipping sauce by combining 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp. fish sauce, and 1 tbsp. duck sauce.

Lemon-Herb grilled Pork Tenderloin

This is one of my "go to" dishes for entertaining because it's a little bit special to serve and ridiculously easy to prepare.

In a large ziploc bag, place 2 pork tenderloins for every 6-8 people you are trying to serve.

To the bag, add the juice of 2 lemons, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of herbs de provence.  (Most have black pepper in them, but if your mixture doesn't, add about a teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper as well).

Seal up the bag and massage the marinade and herb mixture until it evenly coats all of the tenderloins.

Cook them on a hot grill that's on medium/high heat.   Make sure that each side gets nicely grilled.  They will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on how thick they are.  They are done when you press them and they feel mostly firm with only a little bit of give.

Remove them to a platter and cover with foil for 10 minutes before slicing into medallions for serving.

These pair well with roasted or mashed potatoes, and an earthy vegetable like root veggies or brussels sprouts.

Chicken Milanese

1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, trimmed into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
Zest of one lemon
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
Olive oil

In one shallow soup sized bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.

Place the breadcrumbs, cheese, lemon zest, pepper and thyme in another similarly shaped bowl and stir until they're well incorporated

Heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet until it's smoking, and then turn it to medium and let it sit for a minute.

Dip the chicken in the egg/milk mixture, one piece at a time and let any excess drain off the meat.

Then cover the cutlet in bread crumbs, and shake off any excess before placing it gently in the pan, so you don't splatter yourself with the hot oil.

Cook on one side for 4-5  minutes, until it's nicely browned, and then turn it over, cooking again for 4-5 minutes, until it's browned.

Place the cutlets on a paper towel to drain off excess oil before serving.

You can squirt them with lemon juice before serving if desired.

Chicken/Veal Parmigiana

Cook up a batch of breaded chicken/veal cutlets (http://judyfoodislove.blogspot.com/2014/09/breaded-chicken-cutlets.html.)

While they're cooking, line a baking dish with a layer of marinara sauce (http://judyfoodislove.blogspot.com/2013/10/marinara-sauce.html) or whatever tomato based sauce you like best.

When the meat is done, place it on top of the sauce, cover with more sauce, and sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.  I also like to add a little bit of smoked cheese to the dish (mozzarella, fontina or provolone).

Put this into a 425 degree oven for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese melts and gets bubbly.

Serve with a side of pasta.

Chicken/Veal Marsala

An Italian restaurant staple -- but soooo easy to make in your own home.

Start with breaded chicken or veal cutlets:  http://judyfoodislove.blogspot.com/2014/09/breaded-chicken-cutlets.html.

Using the same pan, add 1-2 more tbsp. of olive oil, one shallot which you've sliced thinly, and 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I like Baby Bellas, but white button are fine too).  Cook these until the mushrooms start to wilt and then turn the heat up to medium/high.

Add 1 cup of marsala wine (a $5-6 bottle is more than good enough for cooking, but do NOT buy anything labled "cooking wine" because it's full of extra salt).  Be very careful if you're cooking on a gas stove because it might flame up.

Let the wine reduce by about 50% and then rewarm the meat in the sauce so that it's thoroughly coated.

Serve with the remaining sauce and mushroom mixture spooned over the meat and enjoy!

Chicken/Veal picatta

Ingredients:

Breaded  chicken or veal cutlets:  http://judyfoodislove.blogspot.com/2014/09/breaded-chicken-cutlets.html. 

2/3 cup dry white wine
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon of capers

After cooking up the cutlets, turn the heat up to medium/high and without washing the pan, add the white wine and lemon juice.  If you're using a gas stove it might flame up because of the alcohol so stand back.

When the liquids have reduced by about 50%, add the capers and swirl them around.  Then add back in the meat for a minute or two so that it can re-warm and soak up the sauce.

Serve right away, pouring the extra liquid and capers over each piece.

Breaded chicken/veal cutlets

So simple . . . and so good.  A wonderful staple for any week night, and even the pickiest of kids will usually eat them.  And also the base for many delicious chicken dishes that are easy to make.

1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, trimmed into 1/4 inch slices OR
1 pound of veal scallopine, pounded thin
1 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs  (you can buy these pre-made and Progresso's are the best.   But you can also take plain bread crumbs and add some grated parmesan cheese, pepper and oregano and make your own)
Olive oil

In one shallow soup sized bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.

Place the breadcrumbs in another similarly shaped bowl.

Heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet until it's smoking, and then turn it to medium and let it sit for a minute.

Dip the meal in the egg/milk mixture, one piece at a time and let any excess drain off the meat.

Then cover the cutlet in bread crumbs, and shake off any excess before placing it gently in the pan, so you don't splatter yourself with the hot oil.

Cook on one side for 4-5  minutes, until it's nicely browned, and then turn it over, cooking again for 4-5 minutes, until it's browned.

Place the cutlets on a paper towel to drain off excess oil before serving.

Pot Roast

This is actually one of my favorite Sunday night meals . . . I start it simmering early in the day and the house smells so good all day long.  It's so satisfying at the end of a cold winter day.

This recipe will feed 4-6 people.  You can adjust as needed.

2 pounds of chuck beef (you need a cut with a fair amount of fat and connective tissue so it will melt into the meat and be really tender -- don't mess around with a "better" cut of beef because quite frankly, it won't be nearly as good).
1 large onion, cut into chunks
3 stalks of celery, diced
3-4 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 large potatoes, or 4-6 smaller ones, washed and cut into bite sized pieces (no need to peel if they're well-washed)
salt and pepper
1 tsp. each of dried thyme and rosemary
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced (I like Baby Bellas, but white button are just fine too)
2 tbsp. flour

Sprinkle the beef on both sides with liberal amounts of salt and pepper and in a skillet, brown it on both sides in olive oil.  (this step and the next can be skipped and you can put everything straight into the crock pot or pot you'll use to simmer, but it does add some extra flavor).

Once it's done, saute the veggies (except for the peas and mushrooms) in the same pan, until they brown and pick up all the bits of meat on them.  (also optional, but yummy for developing more flavor).  Sprinkle them with  just a bit of salt to release the water in the veggies.

Put the beef in the bottom of your cooking vessel, cover with the veggies, add the remaining herbs, and cover with the chicken broth.

Set your crock pot for low and simmer for 6 hours, or set your oven burner on low and also simmer for 6 hours.

When the time is up, gently remove the pot roast, and cover it with foil to let the meat rest.   Sprinkle the flour into the broth and veggies and whisk it  until it's all incorporated into the broth.   Add the peas and mushrooms, and cook for another 20 minutes. 

Just before serving, gently slice the pot roast with the grain of the meat -- it should really just fall apart by this time.   Put some gravy over the top of it and serve the rest of the gravy and veggies as a side dish.

I love serving mashed potatoes with this meal, but egg noodles are great too.  

Crock Pot "Roasted" Chicken

It's back to school time and I'm seeing more and more requests for crock-pot meals for busy parents who want to come home to a meal that's already to be served.

I've posted some others in the past (beef stew, pulled pork, etc . . .) but you can also "roast" an entire chicken in a crock pot and it comes out moist and delicious.   And it's easy!

Line the bottom of the crock pot with one onion, cut into large slices, 3 celery stalks, and 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced in half.  Sprinkle with a little bit of salt, just to release the water in the chicken.

Season your chicken as you usually do  (here's how I like to do mine -- brining is optional, but does improve flavor and juiciness -- http://judyfoodislove.blogspot.com/2013/10/roasted-chicken.html.) 

Place the chicken on top of the veggies, cover your pot, turn it on, and let it cook for 6 hours.

The meat will be fully cooked and fall-off-the-bone tender.  But the skin will be (there's no other word for it) flaccid.   You can simply peel off the skin, or if you'd like, put it underneath the broiler for 2-3 minutes to crisp it up.

There will not be adequate juices or fond in the pot to make gravy.  You could do a little bit of pan gravy with chicken stock if you'd like:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour.  Once it's cooked for a minute or two, whisk in a cup of chicken stock and keep whisking until it's reached the temperature and consistency you like.   You could use a little white wine or lemon juice for extra flavor as well.

Hope this makes your weeknight dinners a little more special!

Pork Tenderloin with Asian Marinade

I adapted this marinade from one of the sauces that goes with the Bo Ssam recipe -- I let two port tenderloins soak in it for 6 hours, and cooked them on the grill, over medium heat, for about 25 minutes each.   Was delicious!

1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, grated
2 tsps. ginger, grated
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 heaping tablespoon of brown sugar

Whisk this all together, and marinate away!   Could easily be used for chicken, beef, or even a fish like salmon.

Crock Pot Bo Ssam

I fully concede that this may be a sacrelige to those who care about authentic Korean cooking.   And it's not quite as tasty as the real thing, nor does it make your house smell as good.   But I don't always have 6 hours to tend and baste a big old pork butt simmering away in my oven -- for the weeknight when you have that Bo Ssam craving, this substitute will do.

Here's the original posting I did, which contains a link to the NY Times' piece about David Chang and his Bo Ssam Miracle.  http://judyfoodislove.blogspot.com/2014/01/bo-ssam.html

To make it a little more user friendly, here's what I do:

The night before you want to eat this, cover a pork butt in a 1 to 1 mixture of kosher salt and sugar and let it marinate overnight.

Rinse it off this morning and put it in a crock pot with about 1/3 cup apple juice (I'm sure water would work just fine).

Cover the top of it with brown sugar and a wee bit more salt.

Cover and turn the crock pot onto low heat and let it cook for the entire day (I start mine by 7:30 at the latest, as I'm running out the door).

Make the same sauces and serve as described in the link above.  You don't get all the same crispy/crusty pieces you would after a long day in the oven, but trust me, it's still tastier than 90% of the other pork dishes you'd ever make.

Duck Bacon Lollipops

This appetizer is a staple at our annual Game Dinner and many neighborhood pot-luck dinners -- mostly because there's a wonderful boy in our neighborhood who loves this dish more than just about anything else :)  I use duck bacon that I purchase at Balducci's in Alexandria but you can also order it on-line:  http://www.dartagnan.com/Uncured-Smoked-Duck-Bacon/PSMBD002-1,default,pd.html.

You'll need bamboo skewers that you should soak for an hour before using so they don't burn up in the oven.

Cut the bacon in half and then put a piece on each skewer and then arrange them on a baking tray.

Drizzle them lightly with real maple syrup.

Place in a 400 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes until slightly crisp.

Serve and enjoy!

Barbecued Spare Ribs

So BBQ purists are going to lambaste me -- I'm not using a smoker (though I finally have one, though I've yet to break it in) and doing most of this in an oven, so I probably have no technical right to call them BBQ ribs.   But I've got to tell you, these are GREAT - every time I make them, they're a huge hit.  This is an easy cooking technique and if you've got a sauce you like, it's hard to go wrong.

Ingredients:

1 rack of baby back spare ribs
BBQ seasoning rub (I like the one from Tastefully Simple but anything will do)
1 orange, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons liquid smoke (http://www.colgin.com/liquid-smoke.php)
BBQ sauce -- my hands down favorite comes from Pierce's BBQ Pit in Williamsburg, VA -- http://www.pierces.com/edibles.asp).

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees.  Take a cookie sheet with a raised edge, and scatter the sliced onion and orange over it and sprinkle them with the liquid smoke.

Sprinkle both sides of the rack of ribs with the seasoning rub -- be generous -- and lay them down, meaty side up, over the onion and orange slices.   Cover the whole cookie sheet tightly with foil, making sure it's airtight.  Place it in the oven and cook for 4 hours.  You can totally ignore the meat this whole time and even if you let it cook longer, it'll be fine as long as the foil is really tight around the pan.

At the end of the 4 hours, between the moisture you get from the onions and oranges, as well as the gentle heat of the oven, the ribs are fall apart tender.   Let them sit for about 30 minutes and then you can transfer them to a grill or the broiler of your oven (the grill is better -- that little bit of char is nice).   Slather the top with BBQ sauce and let it cook for about 5 minutes, turn it over and do the same for 5 more minutes.  Flip once more, add a wee  bit more sauce, cook for 2-3 more minutes and then slice and serve.

These will be so tender and flavorful that they'll just slide right now and pull right apart with a fork.  Of course, eating ribs with your fingers is far more fun!

Super Bowl '14 Chicken Wings

We have a standing date with close friends of our every Superbowl Sunday and the menu always includes yummy finger food.  I do wings every year, and try to make up a new recipe each year -- something with bold taste, but healthier than fried food.   I really liked the one I did this year and hope you will too.

Marinade

1/3 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of one lemon
1 heaping tablespoon of honey mustard
2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
a pinch of red pepper flakes, crushed up a bit
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons of honey

Whisk this all together, and pour it over 3 pounds of chicken wings, making sure they're all coated.   Put them in an airtight container or ziploc bag, and marinate them for 4-6 hours.

Cook them on a grill on low heat so the skin can crisp without drying out the meat.   They should be done after 15 minutes on each side.

Take the leftover marinade and boil it so it reduces to a very thick sauce.  Use this sauce to baste the wings for the last 5 minutes they're on the grill.

Serve hot, warm or cold -- they're good at any temperature!

Lemon-herb chicken stew

I made this easy stew this weekend in my crock pot, but you could also do this on the stove top, using very low heat.  It was delicious, and great comfort food that was ready after I got home from a long day out with my daughters.

Ingredients

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
2 tsps. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of dry white wine
water
1 cup of chopped carrots
3 ribs of celery
3-4 large cloves of garlic
1 large onion
1/2 cup frozen peas

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute 1 cup of chopped carrots, 1 large onion diced, 3-4 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped, and 3 ribs of celery, chopped.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt to this mixture as you cook so it softens up without browning.

Add this to your crock pot, and then saute 6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs in another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil until they are gently browned on each side.

Then add this to the crock pot, turn up the heat under the skillet and add the wine and lemon juice.  Cook this on high until it reduces by about 1/2.    When it's reduced, add it to the crock pot as well, and then add just enough water so that it comes up to the top of all the ingredients.

Finally, add the herbs and pepper, stir gently, and cook for about 6 hours.   About 10 minutes before serving, using 2 forks or a set of tongs,  break up the chicken into chunks (it will fall apart very easily), and add the peas so they can warm through.

This can be served over noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, or anything else you'd like.   It also could double as a very thick and chunky soup if you'd rather eat it that way.