the circle of life

Remember how I mentioned that my brother had decided to raise chickens? And how I foolishly decided to name them? I think Myrtle just ended up in my crockpot.

Yes, my brother dispatched of his first and second rounds of broilers and gave me one for Christmas. It was a 5.6-pounder, and if I didn't have a big crockpot, it wouldn't have fit!

Serendipitously, I had just received four (four!) cookbooks in the mail from Southern Living, and one had a recipe for slow-cooked barbecue chicken that sounded delicious. Southern Living Fix It & Freeze It/Heat It & Eat It: A quick-cook guide to over 200 make-ahead dishesis a must-have for people who subsist on make-ahead meals, heat-to-serve soups (like Roasted Chicken Noodle), and simple desserts (such as Orange Cream Pie). The book (and my crock-pot) didn't let me down with this easy preparation--the resulting chicken was moist and flavorful; the hardest part was washing the crock-pot.

I found an equally-appealing recipe for cole slaw (for what is chicken barbecue without cole slaw?!) in another of those cookbooks--Southern Living What's for Supper. In addition to a bunch of great ideas for quick side dishes, this book also contains lots of nutritious and delicious entrees like Onion-Topped Sausage 'n' Mashed Potato Casserole and Caribbean Pork with Butter Bean Toss. The cole slaw was great--tangy and creamy and the perfect contrast to my saucy chicken barbecue.

Get these cookbooks, get some chickens, and get fed!

Slow-Cooked Barbecue Chicken
Reprinted with permission from Southern Living Fix It & Freeze It/Heat It & Eat It: A quick-cook guide to over 200 make-ahead dishes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (3 to 3-1/2 pounds) cut-up whole chicken
• 2/3 cup cola soft drink
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon, sliced

Directions:
1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker.
2. Whisk together cola soft drink and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken). Place lemon slices in a single layer on top of chicken.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours (or on LOW 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours) or until done.
4. Transfer chicken pieces (removing bones, if needed) to a serving platter; discard lemon slices. Skim fat from pan juices in slow cooker. Pour pan juices over chicken; serve immediately.
TO FREEZE IT:
Cool chicken completely. Freeze in a labeled airtight container up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Onion-and-Herb Coleslaw
Reprinted with permission from Southern Living What's for Supper

Whisk together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt-free onion-and-herb seasoning blend, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until well blended. Pour mayonnaise mixture over 1 (16-oz.) package shredded coleslaw mix;
toss well. Chill until ready to serve.