Season Three Fever Builds!

Thanks to Michael Ornstein for the picture of this billboard in NYC!

Would Bobby Elvis use a crock pot?

You can bet your sweet ass he would.


Now, I'm willing to bet that dear Bobby is one for spending long, slow, loving hours over a hot stove, stirring a pot full of delicious epicurean delights for his MC brothers.  That's just how he rolls.

But Bobby is a busy man, and that's why he probably owns at least one crock pot.  I'm guessing he has a 4 quart for when he's cooking for himself, and a 6-quart for when he has the guys over to watch some Raider football.  Why, you ask, would a man like Bobby own something more commonly associated with home-schooling housewives?

There are at least four reasons:

1. He's a motorcycle enthusiast.  Good weather and an open road are more tempting than a homemade pizza.
2. He's club treasurer.  With all of those funds flowing in (and out) of the MC treasury, Bobby probably has his fair share of work to do.
3. He did the accounting for Cara Cara.  Who has time to be a gourmet when there's porn to be watched...I mean books to be cooked?
4. He's got gigs in Reno.  And being an Elvis impersonator isn't something you do on the fly.  Practice is essential, and the amount of work it takes for Bobby to fluff those curls into an Elvis pompadour is a full time job in and of itself.
5. And then there's all that other stuff the club does that can make it hard to dedicate time to clarifying butter and nursing a pot of risotto.

Thus, Bobby rocks the crock pot.  Throw some chicken, a little broth, some veggies, garlic, herbs, and pasta into a slow cooker mid morning (or whenever you muster the energy to get out of bed).  By dinner time you have a pot full of lovely, comforting goodness - just what a guy needs after a tough day of gun running.  And, most crock pots come with attachments that make them easy to travel with.  When Gemma calls a potluck dinner, Bobby can throw the pot on the back of the bike and deliver a dish that's high on taste and low on labor.

This is my favorite picture of Bobby. Ever.

Here's an example of what darling Bobby would probably dig as an easy and delicious slow cooker recipe.  I can't claim responsibility - it's an adaptation of this one from a lovely lady who dedicated a whole year to cooking slow.  I used chicken thighs instead of white meat, added butternut squash and substituted the garlic powder for garlic cloves and paprika for saffron.  I hope you enjoy!


Slow cooked Moroccan Chicken

What you need:

1lb chicken thighs (I used boneless/skinless - came out delicious and moist)
1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 t Tobasco sauce
1/3 cup toasted almonds
5 cloves smashed and chopped garlic (I used 3 t of garlic powder)
1/3 cup raisins
2 t honey
1 t cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t chili powder
1/2 t paprika

What to do:
Stir salsa, tobasco, spices, honey, garlic, and broth together.  Place thighs and squash in cooker and cover evenly with sauce.  Add raisins and almonds.  I used a 6 qt cooker and the chicken was done in about 4.5 hours.  I served over quinoa, but couscous is traditional (or some other hearty grain).