Chicken Haystacks

I grew up making many recipes with a can of soup, and I only recently decided to figure out how to avoid them. Yes, I am slow. Tomato soup? Tomato juice, something to thicken it, and some agave. Cream of chicken? It's a chicken gravy: butter, whole-wheat flour, and chicken stock. So, here is my Chicken Haystacks recipe. I also realized that I could make Chicken Pot Pie by using this chicken-gravy base, throwing in some vegetables, and putting it into a whole-wheat pie crust. Voila! Two recipes in one! This is a super easy recipe, but oh, so yummy.

Chicken Haystacks

Throw 6 chicken breasts (salted and peppered) into your slow cooker until done (around 4 hours depending on your slow cooker and the size of the chicken), or cook your chicken however you like.

Make a roux with the butter and flour, then add the chicken stock. Make it as thick or thin as you like:

1 stick butter

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (approx.)

3 cans (regular size) chicken stock (or make your own)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook two cups brown rice per directions on the bag. It will take about 40 minutes. This is the base of the haystack.

When the chicken is done, mix it with the gravy. Yes, it's so complicated. The chicken and gravy go on the rice, and then we pile on the goods!

Stackables:

Celery (Cut up one bunch)

Cashews

Crushed pineapple

Green Onions (chop up one bunch)

Pepper (I prefer yellow--chop one up)

Water chestnuts (sometimes I enjoy these on top; sometimes I feel they detract--you decide)

Chow mein noodles usually go on these, but they're made with white flour and sugar, and they're very processed (maybe I should experiment with making my own). If anyone knows of a good substitute for them, or if you think of anything else that would be great on haystacks, let us know!

Granola!

Granola
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

4 cups regular rolled oats

7 cups assorted nuts, seeds or dried fruit of choice (such as chia seeds [they become slimy if you put them in milk, FYI, but they are so good for you, it may be worth it], hemp seeds, flax seeds, almonds, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, cashews, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries [Careful - most are very sugary. I found some that were sweetened with apple juice at my local health food store. They were SO GOOD!], raisins, dried coconut, etc.)

2 tsp. vanilla

4 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup honey

Mix flour, oats and assorted yumminess. Warm honey and add cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to the warm honey. Combine wet and dry mixtures. Spread onto large baking sheets and bake at 325 for 24 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container. Yeah right. Mine never lasts that long.