Yesterday, as I wrote in my post, I decided to take it easy. I felt like I had good reasons for doing this. First of all, I went to bed late, at least for me, Saturday night. PBS ran Les Miserables, the 25th Anniversary concert. I have seen Les Miz several times. It is a show I don’t get tired of seeing or listening to.
I knew I wanted to watch it even though starting a 9:00 and running 3 1/2 hours because of breaks because it’s money time on PBS, it would end well after my usual bedtime of 10:30. I also know that with losing an hour of sleep I wouldn’t be much good for anything on Sunday.
I wanted simple to extend to all aspects of the day including dinner. I didn’t want to make anything that would take a lot of fuss to prepare. That is why I decided on a crock pot meal. Again, keeping it simple, I didn’t want anything that required a whole lot of prep time or ingredients.
I settled on a meal that only needed 4 ingredients and didn’t need any stove top browning or precooking of any kind. I had some chicken tenders in the freezer. I needed 2 pounds and I had 2 pounds. After defrosting the tenders I cut them into chunks. I like using the crock pot liners so I put one in and gave it a light spray of Pam. I placed the chicken chunks in a single layer on the bottom of the crock pot.
I measured out 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup soy sauce, and 1 cup pineapple juice. Mixed them together in a 4 cup measuring cup, poured the mixture over the chicken, put the lid on the pot, and turned it on low.
Eight hours later dinner was ready. Served with rice and brussel sprouts as a vegetable dinner was ready with very little work thus keeping it simple. There is plenty left for a second meal during the week.
arjeha 
I did not know what a crock pot is, I was reading about it. The food must be delicious.
The slow cooker (crock pot) is great on busy days. You put the food in, turn it on, and 4 to 8 hours later, depending on the recipe, dinner is ready. Many of my friends would get things together in the morning and then when they came home from work dinner was all cooked.
Made my mouth water and I’m a vegetarian. “Keeping it simple” is a mantra I should adopt—more generally. When Sundays pass like this, everything that follows is somehow easier, too.
Somehow the week seems manageable if Sundays start things off in a quiet relaxed way.
I did not know you could get liners for a crock pot – Interesting idea. Sounds like a great recipe and looks good. Glad you had a quiet Sunday!
The loiners make clean up a snap. You can find them in the grocery store with the baggies.
Yum! Thanks for the meal! The picture was a definite necessity as it added that full savory flavor to my tastebuds (in my mind). I also love Les Miserables and feel as though I don’t get to watch much TV anymore!
There is something to be said about the smells in the house when food is cooking all day.
That looks delicious! You had very good reason to choose a simple meal, and I admire your dedication to Les Miserables: I so often want to stay up late to watch something special but know I will be useless the next day and reluctantly take myself to bed (at 8:45 LOL!!!). I do love a quick and easy slow cooker meal (a current favorite: some chicken breasts and a bottle of fancy BBQ sauce!).
BB chicken – one of my favorite meals. Somehow the cats love being next to the slow cooker while it is on. Surely they don’t know there is food in it.
Being in bed before midnight? Does not compute. Does not compute. Simple meals, not requiring 50 pans and 50 are awesome and that looked like a very tasty meal indeed. I really need to use my slow cooker more often.
We have a few slow cooker recipes that we really enjoy. Always on the lookout for more. It is nice throwing things in and not worrying about stopping something because you have to cook dinner.
Great thinking here! Not only did you simplify dinner, but you meal prepped for later in the week. Game, set, match!
I am all for leftovers. Somehow things taste better the second day because the flavors blend together.
Simple and yummy. I’m in!
My two requirements.
Wow, Bob! The meal looks great! Thanks for the directions. Ralph and I will try it. I love Brussel sprouts. Did you roast them in the oven? I, too, love Les Mis, but 3.5 hrs starting at nine would not work for me! The last time we saw the performance was at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. We went to the matinee.
I have roasted the sprouts on occasion, Lynne. This time I just cooked them on top of the stove
I love Les Mis! I haven’t watched it on PBS in many years. Maybe it’s time. I love my Crock-Pot too. I have to rush around in the morning to get it all going, but I am always so glad to come home to a nearly finished dinner.
That is one of the great things about the crock pot.
Best. Invention. Ever = Crockpot LIners!
Wow! Les Mis. That would have been worth staying up. Always worth another viewing! 🙂
Liners make clean up a breeze.