OK people, T-minus 3 days and 1 night before the cast is taken off should everything be in order! I cannot wait, I want to rip this damn thing off my arm so bad. I will have a lot of physical therapy since my muscles have atrophied and it may hurt more than while in the cast…BUT I DON’T CARE…TAKE IT OFF!

Since my  injury I have depended mostly on the kindness of my mom’s leftovers, a few dishes friends came over and prepared for me, the occasional frozen dinner and the one recipe I managed to cook in the last 6 weeks, my One Armed Tom Yam Wonton Soup.

My chosen recipes are 1 dish balanced meals. Its easy for me to warm up and all I dirty is 1 bowl and a fork. I have been searching for more exotic 1 dish meals than the first Google results. This week I chose a Slow Cooker Chicken and Shrimp Bouillabaisse recipe that was prepared by my special someone. This is a very flavorful and easy meal to prepare that gets slowly cooked in a crock-pot.

Bouillabaisse  is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille, France. This one is not playing by the rules as it uses chicken (and my added shrimp), so it is perfect for non seafood lovers. I modified the original recipe a lot by doubling the veggie portions and seasoning, and adding shrimp and white beans. In my opinion what sets a real Bouillabaisse apart is the distinctive flavor of real saffron. Best crock-pot recipe ever.

You may not find anything unusual about the left side but remember 6 weeks ago I could not move or really feel some fingers. Since yesterday I can slowly bend my ring and little finger and touch the cast. You may have noticed the unusual selection of nail polish colors, I matched the colors used from the cast design for my final cast days!

Now lets cook 🙂

Ξ Slow Cooker Chicken and Shrimp Bouillabaisse Ξ
adapted from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 chicken breasts, cut in half
1/2 pound raw shelled shrimp
Salt and pepper
1 fennel bulb
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 ounce) white beans
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

Directions

In a skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high until hot. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to season both sides. Add chicken to skillet and cook  until lightly browned on both sides, turning chicken over once and adding more oil if necessary. Set aside.

Meanwhile, trim stems and bottom from fennel bulb. Cut bulb into quarters, then thinly slice bulb crosswise.

After all chicken is browned, add wine to skillet and heat to boiling on high, stirring to loosen any browned bits. Boil 1 minute, stirring.

In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker bowl, combine fennel, onion, garlic, broth, tomatoes with their juice, beans, bay leaf, thyme, and saffron. Top with browned chicken, shrimp and wine mixture from skillet; do not stir. Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours or the  high setting for 4 hours. Serve in a soup bowl with a slice of French bread. Makes 4 servings.