Some other beginning's end.

Today was the last day test driving my new cookbook. YAY! I was a little nervous about today's crock and you'll never guess why.

CINNAMON!!!

"Chicken in Saffron-Tomato Cream Sauce" (6 quart pot)

~1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
~6 whole cloves
~1 T coriander seed
~1 T cumin seed
~3 T vegetable oil
~2 yellow onions, finely chopped
~4 garlic cloves, minced
~1" piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
~1 small serrano chili pepper, seeded and minced
~2 t salt (I'm pretty sure I forgot to add the salt.)
~1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes (Mine were diced. And fire roasted. And garlic. Oops.)
~2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
~2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (As always, the author of this cookbook used an entire chicken, cut into serving pieces and skinned.)
~1/4 t saffron threads
~1/2 c half and half
~1/4 c chopped cilantro (I forgot this, too.)

Combine cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cumin and grind to a fine powder. (I used our coffee grinder.)
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add oil.
Add onions and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until browned.
Add spice mixture, garlic, ginger, chili, and salt and stir for 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until some of the liquid has evaporated.
Place chicken in crock pot and pour onion mixture over the top.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
In a small bowl, combine saffron and half and half.
Let soak for 30 minutes.
Stir the saffron cream into the chicken 30 minutes before the end of cooking.
Season with salt to taste. (Yeah, I didn't do this.)
Garnish with cilantro. (This either.)
Serve over rice.

4 servings.

This was REALLY good. You don't even really taste the cinnamon (thank goodness). It was nice to end the test drive on a high note. Mmm...leftovers are going to be delicious.