Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Stew ~ adapted from Cabot Cheese

1 rotisserie chicken
3 ~ 14.5 oz cans chicken broth (approximately 5 c)
3 large carrots, trimmed and cut into chunks
3 ribs celery with leaves, cut into chunks
4 whole black peppercorns
1 small bay leaf
1 c uncooked wild rice
1/2 c half and half
1/2 c plain Greek style yogurt
2 T cornstarch
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t salt, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, more or less to taste

Pull off meat from chicken. Dice 2 cups of chicken meat, saving rest for another use, and set aside in refrigerator.

Add broth, wild rice, carrots, celery, peppercorns and bay leaf to crock pot. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or until carrots are tender.

In small bowl, whisk together half and half, yogurt and cornstarch until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir mixture into crock pot. Add thyme and 2 cups of diced chicken. Add salt and pepper as needed. Stir until heated through and serve. Serves 8.

Wild Rice with Roasted Butternut Squash

2 c prepared Long Grain & Wild Rice
3 c butternut squash, peeled and cut to 1/2 inch dice
1 medium red onion, cut into 8ths
1 T fresh Thyme (or 1 t dried)
3 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t kosher salt, more to taste
1 c walnuts
3 T walnut oil
1/4 c goat cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Toss squash, onion and thyme with oil, vinegar and salt. Spread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and place on top rack of oven. Roast 30 minutes, stirring every 10 until desired tenderness.

Over medium-high flame, heat walnut oil for 3 minutes. Add walnuts and toast 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Allow to cool slightly.

In large bowl combine rice, roasted vegetables and toasted walnuts. Add salt to taste and top with crumbled goat cheese. Serves 6 as a side dish, serves 4 as a main.