Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

9 chicken legs or thighs, fresh or frozen
salt 

  For the sauce:
1 1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c.+ 3 T apple cider vinegar (preferably with the mother)
4 cloves of garlic,
1/2 c. fine diced onion
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T tomato paste
1/4 c. red wine
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T sweet thick soy sauce (if you don't have this use normal soy sauce and add 1 tsp brown sugar)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp berbere (see separate post for recipe)
1 tsp tumuric
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder

Put the dried cranberries and cider vinegar in a microwave safe bowl and nuke for 1 min. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a blend and blend until you have a smooth puree. Turn your crock pot on high and sprinkle the onions and garlic on the bottom. Season the onions with a little salt and then put in about half the sauce. Sprinkle some salt on the chicken and then lay that on top of the sauce. Put the rest of the sauce on top of the chicken and then cover. If you chicken is frozen, cook on high for 1 hour and then low for about 6 hours or until fall apart tender. If your chicken is fresh you can cook on low for about 9 hours and it will be nice and tender, or if you want you can cook on high for and hour and then low just keep an eye on it cus it will cook fast then if it were frozen.

Berbere spice blend

2 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp corriander seed
1 tsp fenugreek seed
1/2 tsp pepper corns
1/4 tsp allscipe berries
6 cardamon pods
4 whole cloves
2 dried hot chilles
3 T paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Toast all the whole spices and then grind in a coffee blender. add to already ground spices and store in an air tight container.

Baker's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter
1 egg
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. a.p flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder (totally optional)
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (for those who won't eat them with out nuts, or feel free to omit them depending on your strategy)

Beat butter, egg, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add sifted dry ingredients, blend well. Stir in chips and nuts (if using). Bake at 375 for 8-10 min. Take them out a little before they look done, they'll set up while they cool. Devour, preferably with a large glass of milk. Adding 1/2 tsp of espresso powder would be nice since these are fairly sweet.