Showing posts with label crockpot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crockpot. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2015
Five Spice Steak Strips CrockPot Recipe
Day 210.
Two hundred and ten! eek!
Yesterday, I had some projects to tie up, miles to run, laundry to fold, and a kid with a double ear infection.
I forgot to turn on the crockpot until about 3pm. It completely slipped my mind. I did it, though. But the meat I cooked would have been much, much better if I had plugged it in earlier in the day and let it stew, or better yet if I had had the meat sit in the fridge overnight in the marinade.
I bought Chinese Five-Spice Powder a few weeks ago, when I found myself in the grocery store all alone. I love grocery shopping alone. I get a mocha from Starbucks and wander each and every aisle, and always find something "new" that I didnt know I needed, or something that I wanted but didnt take the time to properly scout out. Some people like massages. I like solo-grocery shopping.
Lydia, from The Perfect Pantry, has a marvelous write-up about the wonders of Five-Spice Powder. I found it in the Ethnic section of my regular grocery store.
The Ingredients.
1-2 pounds thin steak meat (I used flank steak)
1/4 t kosher salt
1 t Five-Spice Powder
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t black pepper
6 cloves minced or chopped garlic
2 T soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat-free are GF)
1 T white wine vinegar
The Directions.
In a small bowl, mix the dry spices. Rub the mixture on all sides of your meat.
Put the meat into a ziplock bag and add the chopped garlic, soy sauce, and white wine vinegar. Seal the bag and refrigerate for as long as possible; preferably overnight.
I did not do this. Your meat will taste better if you do.
When the meat has fully marinated, cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6. This is very thin meat and will cook quickly, since there isnt much liquid. If you are going to be out of the house for a while, add 1/2 cup of beef broth. I used my 6qt Smart-Pot, and it was not really enough food for it; this would work best in a 4qt.
Slice the meat thin and serve over rice with vegetables, or on top of a spinach salad. We had our meat on top of salad.
The Verdict.
Since I didnt put the crockpot on until 3pm, my meat had very little flavor, except for the very outer skin. We ate it, and it was fine, but it could have been much, much, better. I have meat leftover, and am going to re-rub it with the spices and let it sit for a while, then chop it up for fried rice to have for lunch.
CrockPot Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Day 206.
Sometimes I get emails with questions like "are you really going to do this for a whole year?" "are you worried youre going to get bored?" "dont you go stir-crazy sometimes?"
I answer: yes, yes, and yes. But then I make something that I never would have attempted to make if it wasnt for this silly challenge, and it opens my mind to the endless possibilities of the crockpot and I re-commit to the insanity for at least another day.
Yesterday, my friends, I made mousse. The most delightfully wonderful chocolate mousse ever.
In the crockpot.
And when it worked I went out in the yard and did a back flip. Sort of. It was really more like a really bad cartwheel with a really bad landing, but the kids insisted it was a back flip. Im kind of hopped up on Advil right now, actually...
and as soon as I hit publish, Im going back to bed. With mousse. Today is going to rock.
The Ingredients.
loosely adapted from Epicurious
--2 cups heavy whipping cream
--4 large egg yolks
--3 T bakers sugar (I like bakers sugar because the granules dissolve quickly)
--1/3 cup cold, strong coffee
--1 t vanilla
--2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
The Directions.
This is not hard. Go read how hard it could be over at Epicurious. I love my crockpot.
I used a 4 qt round crockpot. If you use a larger one, your stuff will melt and cook faster; be aware.
In your crockpot, add the heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and coffee. Whip until combined with a whisk. You dont need to go crazy, just mix it well. Add the two cups of chocolate chips.
Cover and cook on high for about an hour, or on low for about two. You are looking for little bubbles in the surface of the cream, and melted chocolate.
VERY VERY VERY VERY carefully, pour the mixture into a blender. Youll get about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of liquid. Blend on high until it "grows" to about 5 to 6 cups, and doesnt seem like it will rise any higher.
Pour into serving dishes.
Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Top with whipped cream or berries, or nothing at all.
The Verdict.
Its not bad that I didnt let the kids have any because it had coffee in it, right? That doesnt make me mean, does it? They were already eating cake...
Adam said that this rivaled any restaurant mousse hes had. The Lewis family came over and they enjoyed it---and Carol let her kids have a taste because she is much nicer than I am.
Two things to note: the very top has a bit of a skin on it, and there are little bubbles that didnt pop during the cooling process. This kind of bothered me, but I was assured that I was the only one bothered.
okay! back to bed! with a spoon.
Friday, April 10, 2015
CrockPot Mole Recipe
Day 358.
Mole is pronounced Mol-AY. That did not stop the "holy moly" jokes.
You can use any meat youd like: chicken, beef, or pork. I followed this recipe and Jim has even tried tofu.
The Ingredients.
adapted from Jim, who adapted from Sunset Crockery Cookbook
2 pounds meat (I used frozen tri-tip) 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds (I used sunflower seeds)
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
1 dry California chili pod
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (and juice)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup tequilla (or white wine, or apple juice)
1-2 ounce unsweetened chocolate (I used 2 and liked it, but some commenters found it too bitter)
1 cup water
salt to taste
The Directions.
Use a 5-6 quart crockpot. In a small pan, brown the raw sesame seeds and almonds on the stove. You could also toast them in the toaster oven (we need one of those). Set aside to cool.
Put the meat your going to use into the crockpot. Cover with everything else. I threw the entire dry chili pod into the pot; I didnt soak it in water first. I also just threw in the 2 squares of baking chocolate (after unwrapping!)--no need to melt it first.
Add the toasted nuts and seeds, and cover up. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Shred meat with forks, and serve over rice and with corn tortillas. Salt to taste.
The meat I had was half-frozen, and it took 6 hours on low, then I cut the meat up and added it back in for another 2 hours on high. It was fully shredded by then.
The Verdict.
This is such a satisfying meal. The kids werent interested in trying the "chocolate meat" and mostly ate corn tortillas and butter. I will make this again. Soon. I need to serve this to company---the flavor is so rich and full-bodied---you get a bit of a crunch from a nut here, and a sweet burst from a raisin there.
Its incredible.
This is one of the dishes that the slow cooker was invented for ~~ the meat really needs to stew slowly and for a very very long time to soak up all of the flavors, and to allow the spices to break down and mingle. There are a lot of ingredients; I know. Turn on some good music, throw the kids outside or in front of a movie, and just go down the list. I promise youll really like the end result!
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Broccoli With Toasted Garlic and Hazelnuts CrockPot Recipe
Day 347.
This is a lemony broccoli that is such a nice change from heavy winterish vegetables. The garlic adds a great depth of flavor, and hazelnuts provide a nutty burst. These are some yummy veggies.
The Ingredients.
2 pounds broccoli florets
1 cup large raw hazelnuts
1 head garlic, peeled (12 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
The Directions.
Use a 4 quart crockpot for best results. Wash and trim broccoli, and add to crockpot. Peel garlic, and add with salt and pepper. Add hazelnuts. Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the top. Toss with wooden spoons.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for about 4. This is finished when broccoli has reached desired tenderness. I like my vegetables al dente.
The Verdict.
This was a great side dish to our leftover hickory smoked brisket. The lemon is the predominant flavor, and complements the hazelnuts, broccoli, and garlic wonderfully. The kids picked out just the broccoli pieces.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
CrockPot Green Bean Casserole
Day 161.
Its day 2 of Retro Week!
That is not a picture of dog barf. Its green bean casserole. Ive never actually had green bean casserole. Its on the table, lots, during the holidays, and Im sure Ive put some on my plate, but I dont actually eat it.
I dont like canned green beans. My grandma makes a 3-bean salad that uses canned green beans, and I like that. But thats it.
I kind of could go on and on about why I find canned green beans icky. But Im not going to, because they are staple in a lot of homes, and I should be nice.
Canned green beans are not my cup of tea.
I really like fresh green beans, though, and in honor of Retro Week decided to make a new-and-improved green bean casserole. In the crockpot.
The Ingredients.
--1 lb fresh green beans
--2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup.
--1 cup General Mills Rice Chex cereal (make sure the label is marked Gluten Free if you are gluten free. There are still some old boxes on shelves)
--1/2 t onion powder
--1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
if you would like the recipe using the canned cream of mushroom soup, it is here. This recipe calls for 4 cups of cooked green beans. Since youre going to be using your crock, the fresh will cook nicely, and you can put in raw beans.
The Directions.
Wash and trim the green beans. If you feel the need to cut the green beans so they are all the same length, go for it, but they will cook fine left uneven.
Add the frozen soup, or canned soup and the milk that the canned soup version asks for. Mix the green beans with the liquid.
Put the rice chex in a ziploc and smash to desired crumbiness. Add the onion powder and the parmesan to the bag, and shake to mix.
Pour evenly over the top of the beans.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3.
The Verdict.
I liked this much better than the canned green bean casserole. The green beans still had a crunch, even after being slow-cooked. The topping wasnt as crisp as it would have been if I had used the frenchs fried onions, but the flavor was there, and the cheese added a nice salty flavor. The homemade cream of mushroom rocks, and was quite flavorful.
The brown chunks of mushroom were really unnerving, though. It felt like we were eating dog food. Or puked-up dog food.
But it tasted good. I dont know what to think of this. It worked, it tasted good, and if you like green bean casserole, youd probably like it. I think I like lightly steamed green beans better with a squeeze of lemon. or stir-fried with some chili oil. or baked with salmon. or in a stew.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
CrockPot Chicken Cordon Bleu
Day 219.
This sounds fancy. It is.
But it is also incredibly easy and fast to assemble.
You should make it.
Right now.
Jacqueline, who doesnt have a blog, but is thinking of starting one (and we should really edge her on...psst. Jacque... all the cool kids are doing it) sent me this recipe a few weeks ago. I made some tweaks, but this is still most definitely her recipe. Its delicious.
The Ingredients.
--4 chicken breast halves, pounded thin
--4-8 slices of ham (I used honey smoked turkey breast because of the whole PORK thing, which Ive been told tastes the same. If it doesnt, please dont burst my bubble. I feel fragile today)
--4-8 slices of swiss cheese
--can of your favorite cream-of-something soup
--2 T low fat milk
UNLESS youre a crazy California hippie like me. Then you can use instead:
--1 T butter
--3 T flour (Pamelas)
--1/2 cup low-fat milk (soy in our case)
--1/2 cup chicken broth
--1/4 t salt
--1/4 t black pepper
The Directions.
I used a 6qt oval Smart-Pot for this recipe. A 4qt would have been better. My crock wasnt full enough. If you only have a large, consider upping to 6 breast halves--(psst. if you do up it, you dont really need another can of soup. Unless you do 8 halves. Then you should use another).
Spray crockpot with cooking spray.
Pound chicken breasts flat (put them in a ziplock before you pound so chicken juice doesnt spray all over the kitchen grossing you out, and necessitate a call to the local Hazmat team).
Put a slice of the ham and a slice of the swiss cheese on the chicken breast and roll it up. Put it into the crockpot, seam side down. If desired, top with another piece of ham and cheese. Continue with the other pieces. Its okay to stagger-stack the chicken. It will still cook nicely for you.
If you are making your own "special soup," make a roux on the stovetop with the butter and flour, and whisk in the broth, milk, and spices. Pour on top of the chicken.
or! open can of cream-of soup. Pour into crockpot. Put the 2T of low fat milk into your empty can and swirl it around to get the remaining stuck on good stuff. Pour that in, too.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. This is done when the chicken is cooked through and has begun to brown on top. I took ours out for exactly 4 hours on high. It was cooked through, but could have stayed in longer to gain some color.
The Verdict.
This is very good. I liked that it wasnt breaded---Ive ordered Cordon Bleu in restaurants before and the breading on it reminded me of a frozen chicken patty and it grossed me out. This was tender and quite flavorful. Adam is excited to take leftovers for lunch.
We ate rather late, and the kids didnt get to try it yet, but they will for lunch.
Thank you, Jacque, for sending this to me/us!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stef, from The Cupcake Project has launched a VERY cool new blog where she interviews Food Bloggers. She has done some amazing interviews with some *very* talented and famous people, and today she included me. I am so not worthy, but Stef made me sound like I was. Thank you, Stef! Click on over and leave a comment. Everybody likes comments.
CrockPot Sweet and Sour Tofu
Day 187. I was so excited to see that our grocery store has started carrying La Choy brand sweet and sour sauce.
So I bought a bunch.
La Choy uses soy instead of wheat starch to make its soy sauce, and the sweet and sour sauce is labeled the same way. So theres no gluten! yippee!
We hadnt had tofu in a while, and after the french dip sandwiches, needed some lighter fare.
The Ingredients.
-1 pound extra firm tofu, drained - 4 cups fresh vegetables (I used 2 bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli)
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 10 oz jar of La Choy sweet and sour sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1 T butter
The Directions.
You know how in Chinese restaurants the tofu is always really crispy on the outside and has a nice texture? I learned a trick last week to help create that at home without deep-frying. Cube your tofu, and put it in a zipper bag with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Shake the tofu until its coated completely in cornstarch. Then fry on the stove on medium heat in a tablespoon of butter. Resist the urge to flip the tofu often. Let it get a nice crusty coat before turning.
While thats cooking, wash and trim your vegetables and add to the crockpot. When the tofu is done, put it in also. Pour the entire bottle of sweet and sour sauce on top of the tofu and vegetables.
Add a 1/2 tablespoon of water to the "empty" jar, and shake. Pour the contents on top. Toss gingerly.
Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours.
This is finished when the vegetables have reached desired consistency. We like the veggies to have a crunch, so I didnt let it cook very long. The broccoli was not very crisp, but the onion, bell pepper, and carrot still were al dente.
The Verdict.
My kids each ate 2 helpings. They didnt eat the onion or bell pepper, but happily ate the tofu, carrots, and broccoli.
The sauce is a good flavor; it tastes like take-out. I might add red pepper flakes to the adult servings next time.
We ate this over white rice, outside. It was a really nice night.
CrockPot Barbecued Pulled Pork Recipe
Well hello there!
I pulled myself away from the laptop this weekend to make some pork. That I couldnt eat. But I made it anyway.
Im nice like that.
This is a reader recipe from an anonymous commenter left on the original pork post----it sounded good, and was easy to throw together. I cooked it overnight, and then packaged up the food for family and friends.
The Ingredients.
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 onion, sliced in rings
2 cups ketchup (a 24oz bottle seems to be exactly 2 cups. weird.)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
The Directions.
Use a 6 quart crockpot. Trim meat, and place into your crockpot. Add sliced onion. Squeeze in 2 cups of ketchup, and then pour 1/2 cup warm water into the ketchup bottle and shake. Pour the ketchup-y water into your crock. Add vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, Tabasco and salt.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.
Serve over rice, or make sandwiches on rolls or sliced bread.
The Verdict.
This smells so good while its cooking. I had a hard time sleeping the house smelled so good. Adam had a bunch this morning, and really liked the flavor a lot. He said it was sweet and had a slight kick, but not really. Hes going to have more for dinner. I tasted a fingerful of sauce---its like a zesty barbecue.
I wish I wasnt allergic! ugh.
And, dude! Pork is so much less expensive than other meats; I had no idea.
CrockPot Lobster Bisque
Day 360.
Merry Christmas! If you are finding your way to the computer today, I figure you should get something good.
So youre getting lobster.
in the crockpot.
Life is so very good.
The Ingredients.
3 cups chicken broth8 oz clam juice
14.5 oz stewed tomatoes (and juice)
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 onion, diced
1 large leek, diced (just the white part!)
1 T dried parsley
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning mix
1 tsp dill
1 cup heavy cream (to add later)
2 lobster tails (to add later)
lemon slices as garnish, and to squeeze in at the end
The Directions.
Use a 5 quart or larger crockpot, and combine the broth, clam juice, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, leek, parsley, Old Bay, dill, and parsley. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, high for 4-5, or until onions are translucent and flavors have melded.
Use an immersible blender to blend into a chowdery broth. Add lobster tails. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes, or until lobster tails have turned pink and the meat is fork tender. Remove lobster tails from crockpot. Stir in heavy cream.
Ladle into dishes, and serve with lemon slices and lobster meat. You can take the meat out of the tail, and mix it in the soup, or leave it intact and pick at it at the table.
The Verdict.
We liked this an awful lot. Id say it makes enough to feed 4 adults, especially if you distribute the meat from the lobster tails into the soup. We had a lot of fun eating this, and felt quite fancy. My kids both liked the lobster, and thought the soup part was "yummy." But they also thought sucking on the lemon slices was the best part of their dinner.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
CrockPot Baked Oatmeal Recipe
Day 331.
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I think Im in denial.
If youre looking for tried-and-true CrockPot Holiday (any holiday!) Dishes, heres a list.
Today, however, Im posting about baked oatmeal. I started making baked oatmeal when my first was about a year old and I was working out of the house. The mornings were never long enough, and I wanted her to have something hearty (and healthy) for breakfast. Id make a pan on the weekend and cut off squares each morning for her to eat in the car.
It worked really well.
Baked oatmeal can be uber-healthy, or packed with sugar. Ive cut the sugar and butter in half since I first started making it. If you think your family will meet this with resistance, start with a full cup of brown sugar (no need to double the butter in the crockpot, theres plenty of moisture) and then cut it back each time. You can sneak in nuts (ground or whole), extra grains, fresh and dried fruit, and protein powder.
The Ingredients.
--3 cups rolled (not instant) oats (if gluten free, make sure they are certified)
--1/2 cup brown sugar
--2 tsp cinnamon
--2 tsp baking powder
--1 tsp salt
--2 T flax meal (optional)
--1 cup milk
--2 eggs
--2 tsp vanilla
--1/4 cup butter, melted
--3/4 cup dried fruit
updated 11/29: if you are going to use steel-cut oats, youll need more liquid. I dont know how much though, so if you figure it out, let me know! :-)
The Directions.
I used a 4 quart round crockpot. Youre baking this, but no need to vent the lid of the crock; keep all the moisture in.
I really wanted this to take 6 hours on low so I could see if it could be done overnight. It took 4 3/4 on low for me----so unless you hardly sleep, do this in the day time so you can keep an eye on it.
Mix all the ingredients together in the crockpot. I dumped in all the dry stuff, then added the melted butter and milk. Stir well with a spoon---make sure the baking powder gets dispersed evenly.
Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours, checking every so often. This is done when the edges are brown and are beginning to crust, and the center is set. An inserted knife should come out clean.
Let it sit in the cooling crockpot for at least an hour before attempting to cut. The longer you let it sit, the more set and brownie-like the pieces will be.
The Verdict.
I made this on Sunday evening and its already all gone. The kids hadnt had it in a while and had a bunch for breakfast each day and wanted it for dessert last night. The flavor is like a great big oatmeal cookie. I like mine heated with my morning coffee, and Adam likes to crumble his on top of yogurt.
CrockPot Spinach and Feta Quiche
Day 171.
While I was working last week, I came across a recipe for a Crustless Spinach and Feta Quiche on the Baking Bites website. I happened to have all the ingredients in the house, and gave it a go the other day in the crockpot. I liked it, but I liked the egg, mushroom, and feta dish better. This is very similar, except that I put in some flour as suggested to create a thicker filling and to try to create a mock-crust.
I havent ever had a homemade quiche. Ive had frittata a bunch of times, and maybe thats almost the same thing, but the only quiche Ive had that have been called quiche are the tiny frozen ones from Costco. Those are delicious.
The Ingredients.
Adapted from Baking Bites
--6 oz bag of baby spinach
--1/2 onion, minced
--3 eggs
--1/2 cup flour (I used Pamelas)
--1/2 t baking powder (I omitted this, since Pamelas has baking powder in it)
--1/8 t cayenne pepper
--1/2 of a 4oz block of feta
--1 1/3 cup of milk
The Directions.
I used my moms 4qt round crockpot for this dish, because I felt quiche should be round, and I still havent given it back since Easter.
Butter or spray your crockpot stoneware insert. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, egg, flour, and cayenne. Add the onion and spinach to the bowl, and stir until all of the spinach leaves have a bit of the mixture on them. Pour into the crock, and shove down the spinach leaves with a wooden spoon.
Crumble the 1/2 block of feta over the top.
Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for about 4. This is done when the edges are brown, and start to pull away from the sides of the crock. Check with a knife to make sure the eggs are fully cooked.
Unplug and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
The Verdict.
I liked this, but we didnt eat very much of it. I made it for dinner, but we mostly ate leftover ribs. The kids didnt try a taste. I wanted the cayenne to stick out more, and it was completely lost. The flour did settle a bit, which was neat to see, and the spinach and the egg was very moist and tasty. I like the combo of spinach and feta, and will probably try to do something like this again, but maybe with some more feta spread throughout, and perhaps a touch of lemon. I kept wanting a citrus bite.
Thank you, Baking Bites!
CrockPot Azorean Spiced Beef Stew Recipe
Day 309.
I got this stew recipe from my buddy Sean, and it couldnt possibly be any better. I love how I used many of the same staples in this as I do when I make traditional beef stew, but it tastes completely different due to the spices.
Sean used 2 pounds of beef, but I only used one, and stretched it with some potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes.
The Ingredients.
--1 lb beef chuck stew meat
--5-6 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
--2 potatoes, chopped in 1 inch chunks
--3 green onions, chopped
--3 cups beef stock
--1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in quarters, or 2 large chopped tomatoes
--1 cup baby carrots
--2 T kosher salt (1 used 1 T, but then added some more to taste near the end of cooking time)
--1/2 T red pepper flakes
--1 tsp all spice
--1 bay leaf
--1 tsp cumin
--2 cinnamon sticks
The Directions.
I used a 6 quart crockpot. Anything over 4 quarts will work just fine.
Put the meat into your crockpot. If you are using frozen meat, its fine, just know it will take longer to cook and get tender.
Add the broth. Chop up the tomatoes, potatoes (ha, that rhymed!), green onion, and garlic. Throw it in.
Stir in the salt, red pepper, all spice and cumin. Float the bay leaf on top and add 2 cinnamon sticks.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for about 6. Stew tastes better the longer and slower you cook it.
The Verdict.
We ALL ate this! Hooray!
Very good stew. It has a fantastic cinnamony flavor, but it isnt sicky sweet or weird. Its just good. Very, very good.
I will be making this again. I like to buy stew meat in bulk, and it will be wonderful to switch up my stew repertoire.
thanks, Sean!
CrockPot Sloppy Joes Recipe
Day 162.
Good morning! Its day 3 of Retro Week, and last night we tried sloppy joes for the first time as a family. I think I was in second grade the last time I had a sloppy joe---and I was pleasantly surprised that it was pretty good, and not overly sweet as I had remembered.
Cooking the sloppy joes in the crock is incredibly easy. I didnt bother to pre-brown the meat, and it cooked and browned nicely for me. I chose to use lean ground turkey because Im a weirdo with fat and grease--but any ground meat would work great.
The Ingredients.
--1 pound lean ground meat
--packet of sloppy joe mix ( I always use McCormick for spice mixes)
--1 6oz can tomato paste
--1 cup of water (the package says to use 1 1/4. I chose to use 1 because the condensation doesnt escape in a crock)
UPDATED 11/08: guess what? McCormicks spice packet now lists wheat starch. ugh. Use this instead:
--1 T onion flakes
--1 T paprika
--2 T brown sugar
--1 tsp cumin
--1 tsp salt
--1 tsp cornstarch
--1/2 tsp garlic powder
--1/4 tsp ground mustard
--1/4 tsp celery seed
--1/4 tsp pepper
UPDATED 11/08: guess what? McCormicks spice packet now lists wheat starch. ugh. Use this instead:
--1 T onion flakes
--1 T paprika
--2 T brown sugar
--1 tsp cumin
--1 tsp salt
--1 tsp cornstarch
--1/2 tsp garlic powder
--1/4 tsp ground mustard
--1/4 tsp celery seed
--1/4 tsp pepper
The Directions.
This really will work the best with thawed meat. If you meat is frozen solid, you might want to defrost in the microwave---or be prepared to mix the ingredients into the meat an hour into cooking time.
Mix the meat with the sloppy joe mix and the tomato paste. Add the cup of water, and stir well.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-5.
The meat is done when it is crumbly and fully cooked.
Serve with hamburger buns, or on top of rice.
The Verdict.
These were delicious! The kids enjoyed the "ketchup meat" and liked that they were kind of messy. I made hamburger buns out of a box of Whole Foods 365 Gluten Free sandwich bread, the same way I did for the Philly Cheese Steaks. The bread came out well--and held up with the sloppiness of the meat.
How to Make Soap In Your CrockPot
Day 336.
Soap! In the crockpot! woo-hoo!
The kids and I made soap yesterday with some glycerin soap-making stuff I bought at Michaels. I didnt have anything on hand, so ended up buying a 4-in-1 mold, fragrance, color, and the glycerin cubes.
I spent $25.21, and we ended up with 12 bars of soap. I have enough of the color and scent to last for quite a while, and the mold will supposedly last forever. Each new set of glycerin cubes costs $9.99.
We really enjoyed making this soap. The kids had fun picking out the colors, and are excited to use their creations. I pushed a holiday-themed foam sticker (minus the backing) into the soap while it was setting for some extra oomph.
The Ingredients.
--glycerin blocks (I used Life of the Party brand)
--fragrance (I did try peppermint extract and almond extract also, and so far they have a scent)
--coloring
--soap mold (I think silicone cupcake holders will work well, too)
--crockpot
--oven-safe dish(es) to put in the crockpot (ramekins)
--a few wooden skewers for stirring
The Directions.
Do not put the soap mold into your crockpot and add the glycerin cubes, and turn it on. The mold will melt. And you will be annoyed when your husband says something along the lines of "I thought that might happen."
What you should do instead is put an oven-safe dish (or 2) into your crockpot and add the blocks. Youre going to have to use a big knife to separate the blocks.Cover and cook on high for about an hour, or until the glycerin is all liquidy.
Using oven mitts (trust me), carefully pour the liquid glycerin into each mold. Add fragrance and color. A bit of fragrance goes a long way, but you do need quite a few drops of color. Stir with a skewer.After the top of the soap starts to set, you can insert the foamie or other object into the soap. The foamie floats, so I held it in place with the skewer a minute or so until the soap set around it.
Let the soap cure for about an hour before removing from the form. If you wait until its fully cool, it pops out of the mold MUCH easier than if you try to rush it (trust me again on this one).
Repeat steps until you run out of glycerin.
The Verdict.
I had more fun making these than I thought I would, and now that I know the steps, Im excited to try again. Id like to pick up some silicone molds after the holidays when they are deeply discounted and try to make larger soaps in fun shapes.
The kids are quite impressed by me. It only took 336 days.
updated 12/06: Glycerin soap sweats. It surprised me, but evidently this is normal. Wrap your homemade soap in cellophane bags for gift-giving, not tissue paper. :-)
Friday, March 20, 2015
Thai Coconut Soup CrockPot Recipe
Day 266.
We entertained over the weekend, and I was quite pleased with the results of this Thai soup. Entertaining is so easy when you use crockpots----everything in the kitchen is done, and you can really focus on your guests and not need to fiddle in the kitchen.
My friend Hayes has mentioned a few times that her children really like spicy coconut Thai soup, and I was interested to see if I could make it at home. I found two recipes that I pulled from, and used ingredients that I could find easily at our local grocery store. I used one from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, and one from Tyler Florence.
This is an elegant soup, fit to serve to your very best friends.
The Ingredients.
4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 can coconut milk (full fat is best. if you opt for the lite, you many want to add a drop of coconut extract to boost the flavor)
4 limes (3 juiced, 1 for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
4 ounces sliced shitake mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 large vine-ripened tomato, or 4 small-med, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound extra firm tofu, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons red chili paste, to taste (you can use red chili flakes, too)
1 teaspoon white sugar (not pictured, I used a sugar packet)
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
The Directions.
I used a 6 quart Smart Set Crock-Pot for this soup.
Although there are a lot of ingredients listed, this soup comes together quite quickly. Nothing really needs to be cooked---youre just heating through fully and letting the flavors simmer together.
Pour the broth into the crockpot. Add the juice of three of the limes, and zest one of them until you get 1/2 teaspoon to add. Stir in the sugar and fish sauce. Grate the ginger and add. Stir in the coconut milk. You now have your soup base. Add the red chili paste, 1/2 tsp at a time until you have reached desired heat. I ended up using 1 1/2 tsp. You can always add more after cooking, though, so please go slow and dont overdo it.
Cube the tofu, slice the bell pepper, and mince the garlic. Add to pot. Coarsely chop the shitake mushrooms and the vine-ripened tomatoes. Stir in carefully, so you dont break up the tofu or the tomatoes.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-4. This soup is finished when it is fully hot, and the flavors have combined nicely.
Ours ended up sitting on warm for an additional 3 hours, and was fine. When in doubt, use the shortest amount of cooking time, and let the pot stay on warm.
Garnish with fresh lime slices.
The Verdict.
I am proud of this soup. It had a great flavor, without being overpowering or too spicy. I paired it with Korean Ribs (but I used stew meat this time) and coconut rice.
Both of my girls tasted the soup before our company arrived, and liked it, but I made this for the adults. The kids had buttered pasta with shredded cheese.
CrockPot Cajun Pulled Pork Recipe
I am making my way through the pork recipes, slowly but surely.
My buddy Georgia fed this pork to her 4 kids, and they liked it. They ate the meat on toasted kaiser rolls with cheddar cheese. Wow. That sounds really good.
I made this up. Id spent the day watching Food Network, and Emerils "bamming" got to me and I felt like doing some bamming of my own.
The Ingredients.
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt (surely there has to be a nicer name for this)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (didnt make it into the picture)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons hickory liquid smoke
2 cups water
The Directions.
Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Put the meat into a large plastic zipper bag with brown sugar and all spices. Seal well and shake to coat. Then pour contents of bag into stoneware. If the meat is too big for the bag, then just put it into the crock and rub the seasoning all over it.
Top with chopped onion, butter, and liquid smoke. Pour in water.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with forks. Serve on toasted buns, on rice, or in large romaine lettuce leaves.
The Verdict.
I gave this meat to two families, and they both reported back that it was good. Its a bit spicy for kids, but eating it in a sandwich with mayo and mustard seems to work to down-play the spice.
Georgia said the meat would make excellent burrito filling. I think shes absolutely right.
Sundried Tomato CrockPot Risotto
Guess what? Risotto doesnt have to be a fussy dish that only people who really, really like to cook make.
You can do it. In the slow cooker.
For reals.
I made traditional risotto in the crockpot back in 2008 during my slow cooking challenge, and have since made it for cooking classes and even twice for bonafide chefs. And they liked it!
note: I have opted to use Swiss cheese in this risotto at the very end to cheesify it. I was informed that "real" risotto only uses fresh Parmesan as the cheese, so therefore this cant be considered "real" risotto but merely cheesy rice.
whatever. Im still calling it risotto.
:-)
The Ingredients.
serves 4
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (to add later)
The Directions.
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the sundried tomatoes into the bottom of your slow cooker.
(Aside: I cut my index finger washing the blender this morning and Im having a hard time typing. Which you probably didnt need to know, but I felt like sharing. Youre welcome.)
Add the rice and swirl it around in the oil, until the rice is well-coated. Add the chicken broth. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, or until the rice is tender (if youre out of the house, set the timer for 2 hours, then check when you get home so you dont end up with gummy rice--you can always flip it to high if the rice is still crunchy).
Remove the lid of your cooker and stir in the Swiss cheese. Turn off the cooker and let the risotto sit for 10 minutes with the lid off before serving.
The Verdict.
Creamy and luscious---this is the ultimate in comfort food. I served it with "rotisserie" chicken, and it was a fabulous pairing.
The baby liked this better than the big kids (9 and 6), but thats pretty much par for the course around here. I ate the leftovers for breakfast cold, standing up, while watching last nights DVRed Dancing With the Stars episode. Still good!
Coming up soon (I hope.)?
Easter recipes! I think were having sixteen for lunch/dinner (dunch? linner?) and the crockpots will be getting a workout.
2008 Flashback:
April 5: Pound Cake (I gained more than a pound eating the WHOLE thing, though)
April 6: Chicken Teriyaki (my kids will eat these drumsticks by the crock full)
April 7: Gumbo ("...there really wasnt a wrong way to make gumbo")
April 8: 16 Bean Soup (not 14, or 15, but 16.)
April 9: 100 Posts! and Veal Picatta and a bonus: Wheres The Pork?!?
April 10: Korean Ribs (one my favorite Take Out Fake Out recipes)
April 11: Turkey Cutlets in Mango Salsa (do turkeys eat mangoes? because that would be weird)
April 12: Chimichangas! (so. much. fun.)
April 13: Candied Walnuts (munch as a snack, dessert, or salad-topping)
Super Easy CrockPot Spaghetti Sauce
Day 185.
I have no idea why I waited so long to make this. It is so terribly easy, and I was able to get 3 very nice-sized plastic containers of sauce, which now live in the freezer. There isnt anything wrong with jarred sauce---I use it quite often, but there isnt much to brag about when you open a jar.
This? This you can brag about. "oh yes. Of course I make my own pasta sauce."
I kept this simple, and did not add a lot of spices, or even onion and garlic. I usually throw in onion and garlic whenever I make something using marinara, anyhow, and prefer the crunch when added freshly. But like a lot of what I do: There are NO rules. Throw in your favorite spices, and customize how you see fit. There are also no rules about the tomatoes. I used what I happened to have in the pantry at the time. Buy whats on sale, and have at it!
The Ingredients.
--1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
--1 15oz can of tomato sauce
--1 12.5 oz Italian flavored diced tomatoes.
--16 oz fresh mushrooms
--1 T Italian seasoning (and a bit more to taste when cooking is done)
--1 lb super lean ground turkey meat
The Directions.
Add the thawed (or fresh) turkey meat to the crockpot. Dump in all the cans of tomatoes, and break the ground meat up with a large spoon. Stir in the spices and mushrooms.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
When done cooking, break up the ground meat a bit more and season to taste. Jarred pasta sauce is awfully salty; I didnt add any salt, but your tongue might desperately want to.
Serve right away, or package for freezing.
The Verdict.
This is very tasty. I shared a bunch with my grandparents, who enjoyed it also. It has been rather warm, so I let this cook overnight on the counter in front of an open window. Im sure the neighborhood dogs were quite happy!
The kids and I had a small bowl for breakfast. I loved that I didnt need to brown the meat, and that turkey meat is so lean that there was very little fat that floated to the top during cooking. If you decide to use a different type of meat, you can chill the sauce, and scrape off the collected fat.
CrockPot Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Day 256.
I got the neatest email from Melissa yesterday, explaining how she made chicken nuggets for her children. I was really impressed with how she layered the chicken pieces on top of foil that was punched with little holes to allow steam to escape.
I made some yesterday, and while I dont think I had quite as much success as she had, I will most definitely try them again, and I love it that I have a freezer bag full of nuggets to heat up for lunches and snacks.
yay!
The Ingredients.
--4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
--4 T butter or olive oil (I used butter)
--4 eggs
--1 cup breadcrumbs, or a mixture of cracker, cereal, tortilla chip, etc. crumbs.
--1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
--1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
--1 T flax seed meal (optional---I threw it in. Theyll never know.)
The Directions.
I used 6 chicken breast halves, and layered the cut up pieces in a 6 quart Smart Set Crock-Pot.
Make sure the chicken is fully thawed. Cut into child-size pieces. I found that the smaller pieces I made cooked better than the larger ones. The larger ones also didnt get crispy on top---stick to about 2 inch pieces.
In a bowl, mix the melted butter or oil with the egg. Blend up the cracker and cereal crumbs to make a fine bread crumb mixture and pour into a pie plate.
Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. I did not. You really should.
Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, and then toss in the crumbs. Put a layer of battered chicken pieces in the bottom of the crock. When the bottom is full, add a piece of aluminum foil. Poke tiny holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. I found that the layer I did with the most holes worked the best, and the layer I skimped on resulted in soggy topping. The holes are important.
I made 4 layers with 6 cut-up chicken breast halves.
Cover your crock, but vent the lid with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Cook on high for 2-4 hours. Melissas took 2 hours to cook, my batch took 4. After cooking, we both left our crockpots on warm for a few hours before eating.
The Verdict.
These were really good. I had a few in the middle that were soggy that I ate, and gave the kids the ones that were crunchier. I was impressed with the topping, and the kids didnt freak out, so they must have been okay too. My eldest daughter thought they were store bought until her sister said that we made them in the crockpot.
My kids now emphasize in the crockpot! when describing food which cracks me up.
Thank you for sharing your experience with me/us, Melissa!
CrockPot Sweet and Sour Caramelized Onions
Day 300.
It is the 300th day of the year, and the day my youngest turns 4. If it wasnt for writing the day of the year each morning, Id have no idea that every leap year her birthday falls on the 300th day. Thats kind of neat.
She was awake at 5:51 this morning, hopping on her bed. Thankfully her older sister continued to sleep. She and Adam are in the living room playing with her birthday request: a toy barbecue. It has wheels, a little rotisserie complete with plastic chicken, and realistic cooking sounds.
She couldnt be happier.
I made these onions last night on a whim because I had found this recipe in one of the Cooking Light magazines my mom brought over, and I liked the picture. They tasted fantastic and would be great paired with a nice juicy steak.
The Ingredients.
adapted from Jan. 2008 edition of Cooking Light, page 164
--2 pounds tiny onions (sometimes called boiler or pearl onions)
--1/2 cup raisins (one box)
--1 T butter
--2 T balsamic vinegar
--1 T sugar
--1/4 tsp kosher salt
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/4 cup pine nuts
The Directions.
I used a 6 quart crockpot, but anything 4 quarts and up will work.
Cut the top and bottom off of all of the onions and peel away the skin. If you get some of the onion and peel that off an outer layer, thats okay. It takes a while to peel the onions; make sure youre in a good mood.
Put the onions in the crockpot and toss with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the pat of butter and the raisins. Toss in the pine nuts.
Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours, stirring every 45 minutes or so. I cooked ours for a bit more than 3 hours, and stirred 3 times. I wanted the onions to get brown and caramely on all sides.
The Verdict.
Adam and I liked this a lot. This would be a great accompaniment to a holiday meal, or to bring as an addition to a potluck dinner.
It looks fancy, and tastes fancy, but is easy to throw together. The raisins plumped and took on the vinegar flavor, and the pine nuts added a bit of crunch and some smokiness.
Im off to eat a plastic chicken. I cant wait.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)