Put your slow cooker to work in summer; free tea at McAlister’s; Goo Goo and Puckett’s collaborate

That workhouse of the kitchen — your crock pot — is typically tucked away in the closet during the summer. Why? Many cooks know they're great for making winter's soups, stews, chilies and tougher meats that require hours of slow cooking — all the comfort foods we demand when the temps turn cool. I admit to being in that category myself, but every so often I bring it out of hibernation in the hot summer months.

Crock pots are great for summertime. They don't heat up the house like an oven does, and while you're out taking the kids for a swim or working outside, plucking the season's harvest from your garden, your dinner can be cooking all day.

Tropical Chicken is a recipe I make often when the temperature climbs. It's similar to sweet-and-sour chicken, minus the vinegar, adding orange juice and other refreshing flavors to your meal. The fact that you're using chicken legs and thighs makes it a very economical dish, something many of us are looking for as grocery prices stay high.

(READ MORE: 7 crock pot favorites from Chattanooga cooks)

The chicken cooks in a citrusy sauce and is thickened near the end with a little cornstarch and orange juice. I like to double the sauce ingredients so there's plenty to serve over the chicken and its natural side dish, rice. I also love serving it with Asian coleslaw. Email me if you'd like that recipe.

Slow Cooker Tropical Chicken

Chicken:

2 pounds chicken thighs and legs

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lime zest

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained

2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green or a combination, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Cornstarch slurry:

4 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Optional garnishes:

4 green onions, sliced

Sesame seeds

Slivered almonds

Place a large skillet over high heat, and add some oil; once hot, sear the chicken pieces until browned, then place them in the slow cooker, adding remaining chicken ingredients on top.

Cook on low for six hours; check temperature — chicken pieces should be 165 degrees. If not, continue cooking for another hour or so. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the cornstarch slurry. Close the lid, and let it cook for 30 more minutes.

Serve warm over white or brown rice.

FREE TEA

Thursday is Free Tea Day at McAlister's Deli locations, which means a free 32-ounce cup of the chain's famous tea. Customers may choose among sweet tea, unsweet tea, tea/lemonade, half sweet/half unsweet, tea with one flavor shot or the new limited-time flavor, PassionBerry. There's a limit of one free tea per person in-store; four per order via the website or app. Chattanooga-area locations include 2288 Gunbarrel Road, 541 Signal Mountain Road, 620 Northgate Mall Drive, 708 Paul Huff Parkway NW in Cleveland and 2675 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe.

PUCKETT'S GOO GOO

Two Nashville staples popular throughout the state have announced a new collaboration. Goo Goo Cluster, which launched in 1912 as America's first combination candy bar, now has a Premium Goo Goo based on the Deep Fried Brownie Sundae dessert at Puckett's restaurants, which originated in the 1950s in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee.

The chef-curated Puckett's Premium Goo Goo features brownie, spiced shortbread, salted caramel and pecans, all covered in dark chocolate. The spiced ingredients are seasoned with Puckett's signature barbecue rub, giving the confection a savory, yet sweet taste.

The candy debuted this week at all Puckett's restaurants, the Goo Goo Shop in downtown Nashville and online at googoo.com. There are six Puckett's restaurants in Tennessee and another in Alabama. Chattanooga's is at 2 W. Aquarium Way.

"Our Deep Fried Brownie Sundae is a crowd favorite at Puckett's Restaurant, so we knew we wanted to emulate those flavors when partnering with Goo Goo Cluster," said Lyle Richardson, chief operating officer of Puckett's owner A. Marshall Hospitality, citing a long-held admiration for Goo Goo Clusters' innovation in the candy business.

Laurie Spradley, vice president of operations for Goo Goo Clusters, said the Puckett's Premium Goo Goo is the first of its products to incorporate a barbecue rub.

The collaboration will run through September, while supplies last.

Contact Anne Braly at [email protected] or annebraly.com.