I'm not in Casablanca...

However, from the looks of the recipes I've been cranking out today, you'd think I was in Casablanca!

The house is currently being perfumed by Moroccan Meatballs and Chicken and Chickpea Stew. How did I do it? Well, I took a couple of recipes from the internet and adapted them to my situation. Chicken thighs and ground lamb were on sale at my local store, so I bought some of both.

First, I made the Chicken and Chickpea Stew in my SmartPot crock pot from this recipe from www.goodhousekeeping.com. Below is my adaptation.

• 5 pound(s) chicken thighs, skinned
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 (1-pound) jumbo onion, chopped
• 2 clove(s) garlic
• 2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 can(s) (28-ounce) whole tomatoes in puree
• 1 can(s) (14- to 14 1/2-ounce) chicken broth
• 6 large carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 can(s) (32-ounce) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup(s) pitted green and black olives, whole

First, I browned the chicken thighs in olive oil on both sides. Then I sprinkled the seasoning mixture (cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne) on top of each thigh. Once browned, I put the first 6 in the crock pot, then browned the remaining six and topped with spices when browned.

Next I added my can of tomatoes and my chickpeas to the crock pot on top of the first chicken thighs. When the rest of the thighs were done, I added those.

Following this, I chopped my carrots, and in the skillet I used for the chicken, I browned my onions and garlic slightly. When done, I added them all to the crockpot, and topped it with the olives.

Finally, I set the heat to four hours and away I went. NOTE : this dish is great with pasta or couscous on the side.

Photo of Chicken and Chickpea stew below: