The days grow shorter at this time of year. We lose the light and the pressure of full calendars makes it difficult to accomplish all that must be done with grace and humor. At various times, I've found myself wishing for a clone or, at the very least, an evil twin to help with the cooking and shopping and "et cetera" that has become so much a part of our modern holiday season. While some will swear they've encountered my evil twin in the kitchen, they exaggerate. I certainly have never seen her and the clones all seem to have gone to a higher bidder. Even so, I've found some techniques that help make entertaining and fabulous holiday meals more easy to accomplish. The real trick is learning how to simplify whenever it is possible. That means that some everyday meals become faster and easier to prepare than might normally be the case. This recipe is an example of a weeknight meal that comes together in minutes. It uses standard pantry ingredients and while it was designed to simmer in a crock-pot, you can also cook it stovetop if that is more to your liking. I found the recipe in Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook and it makes a pleasant weeknight meal. If you are looking for a quick and easy addition to your menu rotation, grab a can opener and give this recipe a try. Here is how this Moroccan stew is made.

Moroccan Chickpea and Chicken Stew

Ingredients:

2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares

1 medium onion chopped

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons water

1-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

pinch of paprika

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter

Hot cooked couscous or brown rice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1) Place chickpeas, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, raisins, tomato paste, water, cumin and paprika in slow cooker. Mix well. Scatter chicken on top. Cover and cook on LOW until chicken is tender and cooked through, 6-7 hours.

2) Stir in nut butter. Serve hot over couscous or rice, garnished with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

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