CrockPot Apple Dumpling Recipe

Day 137.

This is why I need the free Wii.

Holy toledo, these puppies are yummy. I found the recipe eons ago on the Pioneer Woman Cooks website, and bookmarked them for some reason in my gluten-free folder. I have no idea why, except for maybe at the time I wanted to try and attempt them gluten-free.

I then promptly forgot all about trying to tweak the recipe.

It's been a hundred million degrees here the last few days, and sweating buckets makes me feel like a-little-something sweet. So I dug through the cubbards and fridge and found a way to make them. Gluten free. In the crockpot.

And they rock.

The Ingredients.

--2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls.

* Unless you are gluten free. If you are gluten free, use this recipe. I followed it to the letter except that I doubled it, used Pamela's, and used sour cream instead of cottage cheese. It is a delicious, moist, yummy dough that is perfect for so many things; I am positively giddy to have found it! (psst. chill your dough for at least 2 hours!) *

--2 granny smith apples

--1 stick of butter

--1 cup white sugar

--1 t vanilla

--1 t cinnamon

--1 cup Mountain Dew

The Directions.

Spray your crock insert with cooking spray.

If you are using the crescent rolls, roll out the little triangles and fill each one with an apple slice or two and roll it up.

If you are using the GF dough, do the same thing, but realize that it will be a bit lumpy and not quite as thin. It's okay. This dough recipe is beyond fantastic. Seriously.

Pile the crockpot high with all of your little dumpling guys.

Melt the stick of butter in the microwave, and stir in the cup of sugar, and the cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over the dumplings, making sure to get down in the nooks and crannies.

Then add 1 cup of Mountain Dew, the same way---pour it over the top. It will make a delightful bubbly sound!

Prop lid open with a wooden spoon or chopstick and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until the dough is brown and cooked through.

The Verdict.

Delicious, moist, and gooey. They were very, very sweet. The kids (those nutty kids) couldn't eat their whole serving because of how sweet they were.

Adam and I didn't seem to have that problem.

I liked them even better the next morning cold.

Have I mentioned how beyond stoked I am to have this basic gluten-free dough recipe that I can fool around with? I'm thinking overnight pull-apart rolls, cinnamon buns, crescent rolls for Thanksgiving...

eek! I'm so excited!

OH! and I haven't had Mountain Dew in years. I couldn't waste the bottle, so I finished it. LOL, I was instant-messaging with Laura and was so hopped up on caffeine and sugar I could hardly type.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Apples in the CrockPot

Day 145.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! If you don't live in the US, and don't celebrate, Happy Weekend! The US uses Memorial Day as an official un-official summer kick-off. The weekend is usually filled with lots of barbecues, pool parties, beer, and eating.

It's raining here today.

and we have to stop by the doctor's office.

But that's okay, because we have fruit covered in chocolate. And that makes everything right with the world.

The Ingredients.

--fruit

--chocolate chips (I didn't measure. A bunch.)

--crockpot (I used my big one. Any size would work just fine.)

The Directions.

Dump chocolate chips into the crockpot. I didn't spray cooking spray. I didn't add anything. I just put in the chocolate chips.

While the chocolate is melting, wash and prepare the fruit you're going to use, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cook on high for 30 min-1 hr. You will know that the chocolate is ready to stir when it gets really shiny and begins to break down. You can start stirring it when the chip forms are still visible.

Dip fruit pieces into the melted chocolate. I had lots of help with this, and although the chocolate was hot, nobody got burnt, and nobody seemed to mind. And somehow "nobody" got chocolate fingerprints all over the outside of the dishwasher and refrigerator. hmph.

Put the covered fruit onto the parchment-paper lined cookie sheets and place into the refrigerator to harden. This doesn't take long---I think we only waited about 20 minutes.

You can go totally fancy and have one crockpot for semi-sweet chocolate, one for white, and one for milk. You can make little swirls with the different chocolates and double-dip to create culinary masterpieces. I'd really like to do this one day.

Alone.

The Verdict.

These are awesome. I can not wait to make them again. But I need to get Clorox wipes first.

CrockPot Stuffed and Baked Apple Recipe

Day 155.

This is an easy and delicious dessert or afternoon snack. I decided to omit butter and just stew the apples in their own juice, some brown sugar, and a bit of water. None of us missed the butter, which is great, and really lightens up having an apple dessert.

The Ingredients.

--the right amount of apples to fit inside your crockpot. I used my 6 qt oval Smart Pot and fit in 3 Fuji apples and 2 tiny little red guys.

--1/3 cup brown sugar (if you are using more or less apples, use approx 1/2 T per apple)

--1/2 cup raisins

--1/2 cup dried cranberries

--1/2 cup walnut halves or pieces

--2 t vanilla

--1/2 cup water

The Directions.

put the 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of your crockpot, and swirl in the vanilla. Wash and core your apples---core out a bit extra, so you have room to stuff. Put the apples into the bottom of the crock, on top of the vanilla water. Stuff the apples with the toppings, and shove a bit of brown sugar into each core. You are going to have more brown sugar and toppings than will fit inside of the apples, so heap the extra toppings and sugar on top of the apples.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7. The apples are done when they have reached the desired tenderness for you and your family.

I cooked ours on high for exactly 4 hours. The apples still had their shape, and were tender enough to cut with 2 spoons, but the halves also were able to be picked up and munched on (really sticky this way).

The Verdict.

I served these as an after school snack, and everyone was happy. I'm tempted to try them again with either a bit of sweetened condensed milk poured over the top, or one of those chewy caramel candies pushed down the center. I'd also like to try them with Granny Smith apples---we had the red ones in the house, but if I was going to the store specifically for baking apples, I'd gravitate towards the Granny Smiths.

yum.

CrockPot Chocolate Frito Candy Recipe

Day 158.

We went on a road trip over the weekend, and road trips mean Fritos. When we were first diagnosed with celiac, we were pleased to discover that good ol' Fritos were gluten free. It's so nice to know that they are THERE---at every gas station, and in every vending machine.

When we returned home, I still had half a bag left, and they were awfully squished after being in the backseat for 2 days. The best thing to do with crushed Fritos? Make candy! I saw this recipe posted on the Cookie Madness site, and knew we had to make it. We just had to.

The Ingredients.

--1 stick of butter

--12 oz bag of chocolate chips

--2 T peanut butter (optional if you have allergies)

--1/2 cup brown sugar

--1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional--we used honey roasted because that's what we had)

--2 cups Fritos

--2 cups Pretzels (I used Glutino)

The Directions.

Put the Fritos and the pretzels in a large Ziploc and smash until crumby. Set aside.

Line a 9 x 13 or so cookie sheet with Release foil or parchment paper. Set that aside, too.

Put the butter, the brown sugar, peanut butter, and chocolate chips into your crockpot and set on high for 1-2 hours or until everything is really melty and you can mix it well.

It took 1 hour, 15 minutes to melt nicely for me in a 6qt Smart Pot.

Stir in your pretzel and Frito pieces. Anna at Cookie Madness did it differently. You can read what she does, here.

Using oven mits (use them! The crock is hot!) dump the hot candy out onto your lined cookie sheet and spread out with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peanut pieces on top.

Put the pan in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until candy has set completely. Break into pieces.

The Verdict.

Woah, mama! Man, these are amazing and wonderful and so scary in that they are SO good you want to take them all into a corner of the garage and eat them all by yourself.

Amazing. You must make them.

Thank you, Anna!

CrockPot Coconut Cake Recipe

Day 175.

I'm excited about this cake. I recieved a request from Giabella to make a coconut cake in the crockpot, and I had the perfect opportunity this weekend to test it out. We had some family events to attend, and house guests---everybody who had the opportunity to try this cake loved it. Cooking cake (especially a gluten free cake) in the crock ensures a moist cake every time. I used a store-bought cake mix to save valuable flour mixing time, but if you have a favorite secret cake recipe, go ahead and use it.

The Ingredients.

--cake mix (gluten free cake mixes make a ONE layer cake, that is what I used, but if you want a thicker, more traditional cake, use two boxes)
--the ingredients the box tells you to use (butter, oil, eggs, etc.)--use the quantity the box tells you to
--can of coconut milk
--1 t. coconut extract

for use after baking:
--2 T powdered sugar
--sweetened shredded coconut
--cream cheese frosting (optional)

The Directions.

I used a round 4qt crockpot for this recipe.

Follow the directions on the box for the amount of eggs and oil used. Instead of using milk or water for the liquid, use coconut milk. Make sure to shake the can really well, to mix the cream.
Add 1 tsp of coconut extract to the batter.
Save the rest of the can of coconut milk, we're going to use it later.

Spray your crockpot with cooking spray, and pour in batter. Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean. I did NOT vent the lid with a chopstick this time, because I was interested in seeing if it would cook without being vented. Our cake cooked perfectly in 2.5 hours on high. If you see a bunch of condensation on the lid, or if you'd prefer to vent, go for it. But I think it will take longer to cook, because a lot of the heat will escape through the lid-gap.

When the cake is finished, mix 1/2 cup of the reserved coconut milk with 2 T of powdered sugar. Poke holes in the hot cake with a skewer and pour the sweetened coconut milk over the top of the cake. If you are not going to frost, sprinkle on shredded coconut. If you are going to frost, save the coconut for later.

Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for about an hour, or for as long as you can stand it.

If frosting, now is the time to do it. I thought I was going to frost the cake, but I completely forgot. It was sweet enough without the frosting, but I am one who thinks cakes need frosting. It's your choice.

Serve the chilled cake right out of the crockpot.

The Verdict.

We have a new favorite cake! I loved this, and so did the rest of the family. Thank you to Giabella Designs for the awesome idea!

CrockPot Cheesecake Recipe

Day 188.

I've never made a cheesecake before; I always thought it sounded complicated. I'm a pretty picky cheesecake eater, I hate it to be dried out, and I don't want the cheesey part to be too thick. I like a bit of crust in every bite.

Jennifer P. asked quite a while ago if I thought cheesecake could be made in the crockpot, and at the time I honestly didn't know.

Now, I know! Yes! You can totally make cheesecake in the crockpot, and you should.

The Ingredients.
Adapted from a recipe given to me by Anna, at Cookie Madness

Crust

- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used Mi-Del gluten free Arrowroot Cookies)
- 2 T brown sugar
- 3 T melted butter

Filling

- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature (I nuked mine for 30 seconds to get it soft)
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (I put the eggs in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (mmm. cream.)
- 1 t good vanilla
- 1 T flour (I used Pamela's. It didn't make it into the picture)

Directions.

Find a heat-resistant dish that will fit into your crockpot for the cheesecake. You are going to create a bain marie, or water bath. I used a 1.5 qt Corning Ware dish and it fit nicely into 6qt oval. I tried a round cake pan in a 4 qt round, and that fit too. But I opted for my 6qt, because I'm more comfortable with how it heats.

In a plastic zipper bag, beat the animal crackers into crumbs with a rolling pin. Put a cup of the crumbs into a medium bowl, and add melted butter and brown sugar. Stir until it's wet and crumby. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the dish you are going to use.

In a separate bowl, cream the cheese, sugar, eggs, flour, cream, and vanilla with a hand-mixer. Unless you have one of those fancy Kitchen Aids. Then use that. Pour the cheese mixture on top of the crust. Lick the bowl.

Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water to the bottom of your crockpot. Lower the dish inside, being careful to not slosh water into your cheesecake.

Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Check after 1 hour, just in case. The cheesecake is done when the edges are no longer shiny and have set. Touch lightly to see that you don't get a bunch of stuff on your finger---then you know it's done. My cheesecake wasn't perfectly set in the middle, but I unplugged the crock anyhow.

I cooked it for exactly 2 hours. Let the cheesecake sit in the cooling crockpot for an hour, before removing and transferring to the refrigerator. Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before cutting and serving.

The Verdict.

wow. This was a complete success. I couldn't get enough. I had weird hallucinations of being a cross between Homer Simpson "Mmmm. Cheesecake." and Rose from the Golden Girls "nothing can't be fixed with cheesecake."

I was quite pleased that the texture was moist and gooey, yet perfectly set and just like a good quality cheesecake. We had this for dessert on Fourth of July.

so very awesome.

CrockPot Tapioca Pudding

Day 196.

Adam has fond childhood memories of eating homemade tapioca pudding. I have fond memories of peeling back the foil of a Handi-Snacks and then licking it. Repeatedly.

Yesterday, we made some new memories.

Thank you, Becky. Thank you for sharing your tapioca recipe with us.


The Ingredients.

-- 2 quarts of 1% milk (half-gallon)
-- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
-- 1 cup small pearl tapioca (Becky says you can find this at an Asian market; I found it in our "fancy" grocery store, but not at Safeway)

-- 3 eggs (her recipe calls for 4, but I only had 3 in the house and took a chance. It worked!)
-- 1 t vanilla

The Directions.

In a four quart or larger size crockpot, combine the milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook on high for 2-5 hours. You are looking for the tapioca to be soft and somewhat slimy. The mixture will not be very thick, it's okay.

In a separate bowl, mix the eggs with the vanilla. Take a 1/2 cup of the hot milk and tapioca mixture and whisk it into the egg bowl (I just learned from my father-in-law that this is what they mean by "tempering the eggs" in cookbooks!). Add another 1/2 cup of the hot milk and tapioca, and whisk that into the eggs, too. Then add yet another. Now you'll have a bowl of yellowy tapioca gooeyness.
Pour the contents of the egg-bowl into the crockpot, and whisk until it is all thoroughly combined.

Cover your crockpot and cook on high for another 30-45 minutes, or until the tapioca is pudding-like in consistency. Unplug and let it sit for about an hour to cool.

Ladle into serving-size bowls and chill in the refrigerator.

or eat it with a serving spoon, hot, right out of the crockpot. Your choice.

The Verdict.

Fantastic! Wonderful! You've got to make this! Thank you so much, Becky, for sharing with me/us.

Adam thought we could get away with cutting the sugar quite a lot. He's probably right.

I was very pleased with the consistency---just like a Handi-Snacks. But much, much better.

CrockPot Peach Compote Recipe

Day 199.

Good morning! Today is my nine year anniversary of the second time that I married Adam. The first time was in Mr. Phillips' Economics class.

I remember being pulled to the front of the class to go over our budget and Mr. Phillips said, "$20? Your dining out budget is $20? Surely, Adam, you can do better than McDonalds when you treat your bride."

It still makes me smile when we grab anything at McDonalds.

Since we're such partiers, we're celebrating our anniversary by having Laura, from No Appropriate Behavior as a house guest. She and I are going to the BlogHer Newbie Party, and are leaving Adam and the girls home with a bowl of microwave popcorn and a well-worn copy of High School Musical.

But! when we return there will be fresh peach compote. Fresh peach compote with brandy. yum.

The Ingredients.

--3 to 4 fresh peaches (I used 3 large ones)

--1/3 cup brown sugar

--1/4 cup brandy (gluten free)

--2 T butter

--1/2 t ground cinnamon
--1 t vanilla

The Directions.

I used my 1.5 qt mini crockpot for this. I heard back from Crock-Pot that they are no longer producing an adjustable-temperature 1.5 quart---the new ones just plug in and turn on like the Little Dipper. If you are looking for an adjustable little guy, there is a 2 qt size available.

Wash and slice your peaches. Put them into your crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, brandy, the 2T of butter, and the cinnamon and vanilla. There is no need to melt the butter beforehand.

Cover and cook for about 90 minutes, to 2 hours. If your crockpot has the temperature knob, go for high. So then you can eat it faster.

Serve over vanilla ice-cream.

The Verdict.

Beyond delicious. I wonder if I can get away with only eating peaches this way from now on?

this is very, very good.

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The Crock-Pot giveaway is still open! PLEASE leave a comment on the original giveaway post. Your comment is going to get lost if you leave it anywhere else, and want to be in the line-up for the random number picker thingy-mabob. The contest will close at 5pm, on Friday.

CrockPot Blueberry Buckle Recipe

Day 203.

I picked up a copy of Good Housekeeping's Quick & Simple magazine over the weekend, solely because there was a large headline that read "Oprah's Favorite Summer Treats!"

And I wondered what they could be.

I was tickled when I read that one of Oprah's favorites was a blueberry buckle, or cobbler. I knew that I could find a way to convert this recipe to MY favorite way of being Quick & Simple: I used the CrockPot.

The Ingredients.

This serves 4, in two ramekins that I put inside of a 6qt crockpot. If you'd like to omit the step of adding ramekins and only have a large CrockPot (4qts or larger), double the recipe to serve 8, to ensure that there is enough inside of the crockpot so it won't burn on you. CrockPots work the best when they are at least 2/3 of the way full.

I also cut the sugar content back, and used plain non-fat yogurt instead of buttermilk.

Crumble:

--2 T granulated sugar

--2T dark brown sugar

--1/4 cup of flour (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)

--1/4 t ground cinnamon

--2 T butter, melted

Filling:

--2 cups fresh blueberries (if you do not have access to fresh, use unsweetened frozen)

--1/2 T lemon juice

--1/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt

--1/2 cup flour (Pamela's)

--3 T granulated sugar

--1 egg

The Directions.

The original recipe called for three steps, and I found that a bit confusing. They suggested keeping the crumble topping, the filling, and the batter all separate and layering the filling and the batter a few times before adding the crumb topping. I omitted those steps and combined the filling and batter.

This is what I did:

In a large glass bowl, mix all ingredients for the filling, except for the blueberries. Wash and pick any remaining stems off of your blueberries, and then toss them in the bowl with the filling. Set aside.

In a different glass bowl, melt your butter, and add the dry ingredients. Mix. The crumbs will be moist, and crumbly.

If you are using ramekins, place them into the bottom of your crockpot to ensure a proper fit. Spray the ramekins with cooking spray. If you are going to put the batter directly into the crockpot, spray the stoneware with cooking spray.

Put the blueberry filling evenly into the ramekins, or dump directly into your crockpot. Add the crumb topping.

Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours, removing the lid of the crockpot during the last 45 minutes or so to crisp up the topping. This dessert is finished when the crumb topping has set and is no longer dough-y. I cooked ours on high for exactly 4 hours. The crumb topping was set, and was a bit crisp on the outer edges, but remained a bit damp in the center. This didn't bother us, but if you'd like it set a bit more, cook longer.

The Verdict.

Oprah's favorite is now our favorite, too! The blueberries had a perfect mix between sweet and tartness, and the crumb topping was sweet, without being overkill.

I would make this again and again.

I liked the ease of the crockpot for this dish---I got everything assembled and plugged it in during the mid-afternoon. After dinner we cleaned up and went to the park, and then came home to a nice warm bubbly dessert. It was very nice to not be stuck inside on oven-watch.

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 you're going to get bored?" "don't 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 wasn't 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. I'm kind of hopped up on Advil right now, actually...

and as soon as I hit publish, I'm 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 baker's sugar (I like baker's 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 don't 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. You'll get about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of liquid. Blend on high until it "grows" to about 5 to 6 cups, and doesn't 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.

It's not bad that I didn't let the kids have any because it had coffee in it, right? That doesn't make me mean, does it? They were already eating cake...

Adam said that this rivaled any restaurant mousse he's 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 didn't 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.

CrockPot Banana Pudding

Day 227.

This pudding is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

sorry. I totally couldn't help myself.

We needed a quick dessert for some company and I needed to use the crockpot. And that's pretty much how this dessert was invented.

I opened the cabinet, saw some sweetened condensed milk, and we all know HOW GOOD THAT IS when cooked in the crockpot (except for you shouldn't do it for safety and legal reasons or something like that) and we had a bunch of bananas.

So I mixed the two.
The end.


The Ingredients.

--2 cans of sweetened condensed milk
--4 bananas

The Directions.

I used a 1.5 quart mini crockpot for this dessert.

Put the peeled bananas into a zippered freezer bag and let your kids squish the bananas until they get bored or the bag springs a hole and banana goobers fall to the floor. The freshly-mopped-and-ready-for-company floor.

The bananas will still have some chunk in them. If this isn't okay with you, you'll need to use a food processor.

Open the cans of sweetened condensed milk. Dump them into the crock. Mix in the bananas.

Take your time walking to the backyard recycling bin so you can lick the cans.

gosh that stuff is good.

Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, or on high for 1-2 hours.

Give it a quick stir. Pour into serving dishes and let chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

The Verdict.

This is sweet. So sweet, one of my kids declared it too sweet. I happily ate her portion.

CrockPot Peanut (Not Brittle) Candy

Day 237.

I made some really good candy the other day, with all of the ingredients you would use to make peanut brittle. But the crockpot doesn't really get hot enough to make peanut brittle, so you get this awesome chewy fudgey peanut wonderfulness which is an awful lot like a Payday candy bar.

The Ingredients.

There's a lot of sugar here. Because it's CANDY.

--3 cups of sugar (Baker's sugar has finer granules and will dissolve well)
--1 cup light corn syrup
--4 cups of your favorite nuts (I used 3 cups dry roasted lightly salted peanuts and 1 cup raw almonds. because I care about health.)
--4 Tbl butter
--2 tsp vanilla extract
--2 tsp baking soda

--parchment paper or Release foil

The Directions.

I used my 6 quart Smart Set crockpot for this. I like the Smart Set because I can set it for 30 minute intervals and it will beep for me when the 30 minutes is done. And I seem to need the beeps, because I tend to wander off if I find something shiny.

Drop the 4 tablespoons of butter into your crockpot. Add the sugar and the corn syrup on top of the butter. Pour in the vanilla.

Cover your crockpot and turn to high for one hour.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or release foil.

After an hour, stir well to mix everything around. Add the baking soda. It will sizzle and make fun noises.
Your sugar mixture will be kind of milky-yellow and the sugar might still look granulated.

Cover again and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Check and stir in nuts.
Cover and cook again for another 15-30 minutes, or until the sugar mixture is brown and looks the color of peanut brittle. Or a payday candy bar.

Stir in your nuts.

Then, USING OVEN MITTS, carefully (CAREFULLY! seriously---use the oven mitts) pour half of the pot onto each cookie sheet and spread out with a spatula.
It will be lumpy.
that's because there are nuts.

Let cool at room temperature for about an hour, then tear into pieces.

Prepare to be amazed.

The Verdict.

This makes about 3 pounds of candy. Everyone who tried it (10 of us, minus my cousin who for some reason doesn't care for nuts) couldn't get enough. It's quite tasty.

I'd like to make it again, but melt semi-sweet or dark chocolate in the mini 1.5 quart crock to pour out and then layer the candied nuts on top. mmm.

Brownie In A Mug CrockPot Recipe

Day 248.

It's like it's hot chocolate... but it's a brownie! in a mug! baked in your crockpot!

Melba emailed me yesterday with a brownie-in-a-mug recipe, and I knew the second that I opened the email, I was going to have to make it. Right then and there.

But in the crockpot.

The Ingredients.

--mugs. I fit 4 mugs inside of a 6 quart crockpot. Don't pick fancy-schmancy mugs--use the ones that you don't think twice about throwing in the dishwasher or heating up in the microwave.
--your favorite brownie mix
--the stuff your favorite brownie mix tells you to use

The Directions.

Mix up the brownie mix according to the directions listed on the package. I used the new gluten-free brownie mix from Trader Joe's.

(psst. I did NOT spray the mugs first with cooking spray. You might want to. They're kind of a pain to clean.)

Spoon brownie mix into each mug, filling it about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way. The brownie mix I used only makes an 8 x 8 pan, so each of my mugs were 1/2 filled.

Put the mugs in the crockpot.

Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.

Our brownies were finished at 2 hours, 15 minutes (see note down below). You will know they are fully cooked when they have risen, pulled away at the sides and you can insert a knife and pull it back out clean.

Unplug the crockpot, and let the mugs sit with the lid off. They will be TERRIBLY HOT. Don't get burnt. Leave them alone for a bit before removing.

When the mug is coolish to the touch, top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The Verdict.

Perfect! A wonderful, fun dessert that we all enjoyed, and that will evoke fun memories for the kids. We had a ball sitting on a blanket in front of the TV eating our "hot chocolate."

This was a really fun idea, and something I will do quite often, now that Melba gave me the heads up!

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added 9/5/08 2:08 a.m because I totally have insomnia after eating so much chocolate...
GO see Amie's hysterical video about making brownies in a crockpot. It will complete you.
Life with the Boys CrockPot Brownie Video. Amie used Duncan Hines Brownie Mix---it is thinner and it makes more than the batter I made up with the TJ's GF mix; therefore the longer cooking time.

CrockPot Honey Cake Recipe

Day 273.

Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown tonight. Last week, Brenda emailed me ask if I've ever made a honey cake in the crockpot. I hadn't. After I called my friend, Jennifer (yes, I realize all my friends are named Jennifer), I learned that honey cake is usually pretty dry and dense. She said "I don't like it, I won't eat it. But my dad does."

I really like Jennifer's dad, and was on a mission to make a moist honey cake---the crockpot delivers moist cakes.

Unless you burn it.

I messed this up completely. The cake was rising properly, smelled delicious, and was brown and pulling away from the sides of the crock. The top was still pretty jiggly, so I felt comfortable leaving it for 45 minutes on high while we went to swim lessons. I came home to a horrible burnt-cake smell. The top and middle was okay, but I threw the rest away.

That said! If I had taken the lid off, and watched it for about 30 minutes, I think this would have been wonderful. I'd love to hear back if anyone tries this;I was happy with the texture and flavor of the non-burnt portions.

The Ingredients. --2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used Pamela's baking mix. I DID add the additional baking powder and soda, and would recommend doing so.)
--2 tsp baking powder
--2 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp baking soda
--1/2 tsp salt
--1/2 tsp cloves
--3 eggs, room temperature
--1 cup honey
--1 cup sugar
--1 cup oil
--1/2 cup coffee
--1/4 cup water

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart round crockpot. The batter fit nicely.

Grease and flour the inside of your crockpot. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, and then add the wet.

Mix on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour into your prepared crockpot.

Cover, but vent with a chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon.

Cook on high for 2 hours, then check. When the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the crock, uncover and continue to cook on high, checking every 20 minutes. The cake will be moist, but a toothpick should come out clean.

The Verdict.

Other than the horribly burnt parts, this was very tasty, and I enjoyed it a lot. Jen? Sign me up for honey cake next year for your dad. I won't burn it, I promise.

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I was interviewed at Work It, Mom, and the interview is now live. Thank you, Nataly, for featuring A Year of CrockPotting!

CrockPot Caramel Apples

Day 278.

My eldest turns seven today, which makes today her birthday, and my BirthDay.

Sigh.

I know you are told by everyone (and your mother) that kids grow up quickly and before you know it the early years will be a blur and a distant memory, but when you are in the trenches of the first few months/years of sleep deprivation and are functioning in survival mode----it just doesn't seem that way.

Now it does.

I see this kid, this real life KID, with big teeth, a big heart, and big ideas and I'm shocked. How did this happen?

Wasn't it just yesterday that I was walking the shag-green carpet halls of our apartment night after night after night jostling her to Nick at Nite theme songs?

Wasn't it just yesterday that I spent way-too-many hours with a baby that just would. not. sleep. precariously balanced on my lap while I consulted Dr. Google during marathon nursing sessions?

Hug your babies. And make them caramel apples. Don't pay attention to the caramel dripped on the carpet. It will come out with a baby wipe---or scissors.

The Ingredients.

--caramel candies. This time of year in the produce section, there should be bags of soft caramel complete with popsicle stick handles.
--apples (one bag of caramel makes 4 large apples)
--nuts/sprinkles
--2 T water

The Directions.

Use a 1.5 quart or larger crockpot---I used a 4 quart.

Unwrap all of the caramel, and add them and 2 tablespoons of water to the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours, checking every 20 minutes or so. The caramel is ready when it is shiny and can be stirred easily.

Put the popsicle sticks into the apples by the stems. Use a spoon to ladle the caramel over the apple, and swirl to completely cover the whole thing. Dip into chopped nuts or sprinkles if desired.

Let cool on parchment paper or Release foil.

The Verdict.

These are messy and sticky and absolutely wonderful. I am happy with the way the crockpot melts evenly, and it wasn't so hot I was scared about the kids helping.

Little Dipper Pumpkin Pie Dip Recipe

Day 284.

Happy Friday Fondue Day! This is neat dip to have as an after-school snack, or for dessert in the Fall. The kids ate way too much of it.
The flavors remind me of pumpkin pie cheesecake.

That's a very good thing.

The Ingredients.

--1 cup canned pumpkin pie mix
--4 oz cream cheese
--1/4 cup sour cream
--chopped walnuts, optional

The Directions.

I use my Little Dipper---these measurements are perfect for a little dipper. If you don't have one, you can put an oven-safe dish inside of your large crockpot.

Add the cream cheese to the Little Dipper. Top with sour cream, then pour in the pumpkin pie filling.

Cover and cook for about an hour, then stir well. If the cream cheese isn't fully melted, cook a bit longer. The Little Dipper doesn't have temperature settings, you just plug it in. If you are going to use a big crockpot with an oven-safe dish inside, cook on high for about an hour, or 2 on low.

Garnish with chopped walnuts, if desired.

The Verdict.

I served this with gluten free gingersnaps, pretzels, and apple slices. This was a big hit, and I'm going to make it again today for a playdate.

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The eLume give-away is still going strong. Please leave just one comment with your email address before Sunday, 5pm pacific. I'll post the winners Monday morning.

CrockPot Pie Recipe

Day 288.

I've wanted to make a fruit pie in the crockpot for a while. I bought a GF pie crust mix from Whole Foods and had every intention in the world of making it.

But then yesterday happened. The kids did not start off well. There was arguing and attitude in the morning, tears on drop-off, and stomping on the way home from school.

It was not pretty.

There was no way no how I could get to the store, and it was already 3 o'clock. I had actually planned on making potato-leek soup, but didn't have potatoes. Or leeks.

So I made pie. I didn't use the mix because it seemed like too much work. I threw this together in exactly 6 1/2 minutes, cleaned the kitchen, then we spent the rest of the day outside playing soccer, turning somersaults, and being goof balls.

After dinner we went for a long walk to look at the full moon (which I've decided has a lot to do with the 'tude) and came home to eat pie in our pajamas.

It was a good day.

The Ingredients.

--2 cans sliced peaches with the juice (15 oz cans)
--1 1/2 cups Bisquick-type mix (I used Pamela's)
--1/2 cup brown sugar
--2 T melted butter
--1 t vanilla
--1/2 tsp cinnamon
--1/4 tsp nutmeg
--1/4 tsp allspice

The Directions.

I used a 4-quart crockpot.

Dump the canned peaches into the bottom of the crock.

In a separate bowl, melt the butter, then add the dry ingredients and vanilla.

Stir with a fork to combine. The topping will be crumbly. I didn't even attempt to work it with my hands to create a smooth crust. I do think it would work, though, if you added some more butter.

Pour mixture on top of peaches, and press down with your hands (I didn't do this, because I didn't want to get gooky, but I probably should have).

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. The pie is done when it has begun to brown on the edges and the fruit is bubbly and looks like the juice has caramelized a bit.

The Verdict.

This did the trick. Even though the top looks awfully crumby, the topping ended up being baked and bit chewy like a traditional pie crust. If I had taken the time to form the dough a bit and pressed it down, it would have been better.

I believe this simple dough can be used with any variety of fruit---canned or fresh---and with canned pie filling. We just happened to have a case of canned peaches in the garage.

Little Dipper CrockPot Chocolate Fondue

Day 298.

It's Friday Fondue Fun Day! You can not not have fun while dipping stuff in chocolate. If you don't have fun dipping stuff in chocolate there is something wrong with you.

Go seek help.

I'll wait.

I needed a basic chocolate fondue recipe that was tried-and-true and perfect. So I turned to the mecca: Simply Recipes. I found exactly what I was looking for. Elise rocks. Garrett from Vanilla Garlic is who actually posted this for her, but I still stand by her rockingness.

The Ingredients.

--1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white. Your choice.)
--1/2 cup heavy cream
--1 tsp vanilla

optional
you can doctor this up with:
--1 T Grand Marnier
--1 T rum
--1 T Peppermint Schnapps
--1 T Bailey's Irish Cream
--1 tsp peppermint, orange, coconut, etc. extract
--pinch of espresso powder

The Directions.

The proportions here fit into a Little Dipper. Although the booklet that comes with the Little Dipper says that it only holds 1 cup of contents, I proved this wrong with my earth-shattering discovery that a whole can of Progresso Clam Chowder fits perfectly.

If you do not have a Little Dipper (psst. the holidays are coming...) you can put an oven-safe dish inside of a larger crockpot. Do not add water. There's no need to create a water bath for melting chocolate in the crockpot. It melts nice and slow. Or! you can quintuple the recipe and have a good ol' time.

Put chocolate chips in the crockpot. Add the heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla. Cover. Plug in and cook on low (or the ON setting for the LD) for about an hour. Stir.

Serve with apple chunks, banana slices, cubes of pound cake, strawberries, or marshmallows. Or all of them and invite me over.

The Verdict.

Simple and easy and wonderful and amazing.

The kids liked the marshmallows the best, surprise, surprise.

Fondue Friday is becoming a favorite in our house (even though I really do it on Thursday, but whatever. The things I do for you people...) :-D