CrockPot Garlic Baked Potatoes

Day 136.

Happy Slow Cooking Thursday! 

These potatoes are so easy, and are so wonderful. All it is is a big baked potato with garlic shoved in it. They are a snap to make, and if you can find fresh garlic already peeled in a bag, all the better.

The Ingredients.

--4 big brown potatoes

--2 tablespoons melted butter

--2 tablespoons olive oil

--salt and pepper

--8 or so garlic cloves

The Directions.

Peel the garlic and cut it into long slivers.

Wash your potatoes, and pat dry. Carefully cut slits into each potato about 1/2 inch thick almost do the very base. The potato should start to separate a bit like an accordion.

Shove as many garlic slices as you can in each slit of each potato.

Nestle the potatoes into your crockpot. I used an oval 6qt Smart Pot, and the potatoes didn't fit all the way down to the bottom, they kind of were halfway on each other. It doesn't seem to matter.

Liberally salt and pepper. Combine the melted butter with the olive oil and drizzle over the top of each potato, trying to get some in the garlic-filled slits, if you can.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for about 6. They are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness.

Top with sour cream.

The Verdict.

This is a beautiful side dish to any meat dish, or a wonderful lunch all on it's own. The potatoes were not too wet or slimy as I feared, and the garlic roasted perfectly in the slits.

The kids ate the sour cream off of theirs, and maybe tried the potato. I wasn't watching them too carefully.

All in all, I would definitely make these again.

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CrockPot Mahi Mahi With Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach

Day 139.

It's been hot here. It's been hotter, but we are definitely having a mini heat-wave. The heat doesn't bother me too awful much at home, but it does when I'm out in the car or running errands.

Adam also just signed us up to run a half-marathon this summer. Which means I've got to go back to eating mostly light and lean foods for the next eight weeks or so.

Except for the days off.

Because I'm totally planning for those!

I had a long run planned last week, and I knew it was going to be hot. When it's hot, I'm not interested in eating too awful much, but knew I needed some protein.

After digging through the freezer, I found a neglected package of frozen mahi mahi with some sort of lemon-pepper marinade.

I had it for lunch with a bunch of fresh veggies; it hit the spot, it didn't heat or stink up the house, and I had enough good-for-me-food floating around inside to go for a proper run.

The Ingredients.

--16 of mahi mahi or other favorite fish

--> ours was seasoned already. If you have unflavored fish, rub with some olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, chili flakes, or other seasoning blend that you really enjoy.

--fresh somewhat-soft vegetables. I use broccoli, asparagus, and spinach.

--a touch of water, or lemon juice (about 2T)

The Directions.

Wash all your veggies, and put damp into the crockpot. Top with your fish. I squeezed the marinade out of the fish, because it seemed awfully oily.

I added 2T of water to the crockpot and cooked on LOW for approximately 2-3 hours. Mahi Mahi is pretty thick; if you are using thinner fish (such as tilapia) check after 90 minutes.

The Verdict.

I was very happy that I made this and ate it for lunch. I sort of forget about lunch a lot, and grab whatever is lying around, or pick at leftovers. I've also noticed the kids are more inclined to try new foods in the middle of the day, before the 4 o'clock crankies hit. My three-year-old ate this with me, and my six-year-old had it as an after school snack. The stars must have been in proper alignment or something, because there wasn't any fuss about having fish and vegetables as a snack.

I don't expect a repeat of that performance any time soon, but I am happy that it occurred!

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.

CrockPot Pineapple Chicken Recipe

Day 140.

This is a very simple dish--and chances are you have all four ingredients already! The sweetness of the pineapple works great with the salt from the soy sauce and the touch of spice from red pepper flakes.

The Ingredients.

--enough chicken for 4

--20 oz can of pineapple chunks

--1/4 cup soy sauce (Tamari wheat free or La Choy are gluten free)

--1 t red pepper flakes

The Directions.

plop the chicken into the crockpot. I used frozen breast tenders. Drain the pineapple, and add the chunks with the soy sauce and the red pepper flakes.

cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 3-4.

The cooking time will depend on how thick your pieces of chicken are, and if they are frozen or not.

My frozen breast tenders only needed to cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve over rice, quinoa, or on a bed of fresh spinach.

The Verdict.

We ate this over spinach and ate outside. It was a hot evening, and we were in swimsuits. The kids had a ball feeding the guinea pigs any spinach that fell to the ground. I liked the flavor a lot, and the kids ate the chicken and picked at the pineapple. I did open a fresh can for them, though. Eating hot pineapple weirded them out. I added more red pepper flakes to my dish, and I can't remember what Adam did.

Our chicken was dry. I'm always a touch disappointed when I use the frozen breast tenders after using thighs for a while. The breast pieces just don't retain moisture the way the thighs do. I don't seem to remember this while I'm at the store, though.

CrockPot Falafel Recipe

Day 142.

Last weekend I went through the pantry and put like items together. Since I had helpers, it took a really long time, and it sort of looks the same way it did when I started, but I now have a pretty good idea of our inventory.

We have a surplus of garbanzo beans.

So I made falafels.

In the crockpot.

I've never made falafels before, but figured if it didn't work out, at least I'd have a nice story to tell.

But it worked! I am ecstatic to have a new meal to put in our repertoire--a light and healthy dinner to have on a warm evening.

The Ingredients.

 

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

1/2 onion, finely chopped (I used a yellow onion, red is okay too, if you like that flavor)

1 tablespoon dried parsley (dry is better than fresh because it's too wet)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 egg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 juice from 1 lemon (that's a lemon. a weird looking lemon, but a lemon nonetheless)

1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I have gluten free crumbs made from a loaf of brown rice bread that I keep in the freezer)

2 tablespoons olive oil (for the bottom of your crock)

The Directions.

Take a deep breath. It looks like there are a lot of ingredients, but this comes together awfully quick. I seriously only spent 25 minutes from start to finish. The hardest part was getting all the spice bottles arranged for the photo.

Drain garbanzo beans. Dump them into a mixing bowl and smash them with a fork. Set aside.

Get out your blender or food processor (I used our vitamix. I love that thing!). Blend together all of the spices, the onion, the garlic, the egg, and the lemon juice.

Pour on top of your smashed garbanzo beans. Use your fork to mix together, and add the breadcrumbs slowly until the mixture is wet and sticky but can be formed into balls nicely. I needed 3/4 of a cup of breadcrumbs.

Pour 2 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert.

Form squished golf-ball sized patties of falafel. Dip each side into the olive oil and then nestle into your crockpot. It's okay if they overlap or are on top of each other.

Cook on high for 2-5 hours. Ours cooked on high for 3.5 hours--you will know that the falafels are done when they turn brownish-golden. You can flip them halfway through the cooking time if you feel like it, but they will brown on top even without flipping. (I know. I don't get it either.)

Serve with yogurt sauce or mayonnaise. I made a quick yogurt sauce with Greek yogurt, celery seed, dill, salt and pepper and lemon juice.

The Verdict.

These were awesome! I never would have imagined that a delicate falafel would turn out so nicely in a slow cooker. I am thrilled that this worked and even more thrilled that my kids didn't run screaming from the kitchen when I showed them what we were having for dinner. They had plain pasta, but were polite with their "no thank yous."

Adam and I ate ours on corn tortillas with lettuce, tomato, and the yougurt sauce. This is enough food for a family of four. We were stuffed. Falafels are filling.

When I make these again, I'm going to add a bit more salt and at least double the cayenne pepper.


and you can make gyro, too! :-)

 

CrockPot Strawberry Jam Recipe

Day 150!

yay! only 216 (because of leap year) to go! Not that I'm counting or anything...

I made jam in the crockpot, and it's delicious. The above photo was taken out in the grass because the inside photos came out really dark and the jam looked brown.

Making jam in your crockpot is super easy, and super sticky. Keep a container of wipies near by---the stick seems to spread.

The Ingredients.

--4 pounds of fresh strawberries

--3 cups of sugar

--1-2 boxes (1.75 oz) of pectin

The Directions.

Wash all of the strawberries, and cut out the stem. Quarter them and throw into your crockpot. I gave all of the strawberry leaves and stems to the guinea pigs and they were so excited they did back flips.

Use a potato masher to squish the strawberries and to create some liquid. We didn't have a potato masher so my helper used the hand mixer attachments.

Add the sugar and pectin and smash some more.

Cover and cook on low for a hundred million years.

Or 10-12 hours; same thing. I used one box of pectin because that is what I bought. After about 10 hours, if your berries are still not jelling the way that you'd like them to, add another 1/2 box to a full box. You can test the "jell" by putting a small amount in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

I don't have enough Little House on the Prairie in me to fuss with proper jarring, so I used a well-washed jelly jar and made tupperwares to give away to family. If you would like to can, here's a great resource.

Keep your jam in the freezer if you'd like it to top toast and sandwiches, or in the refrigerator for more of a syrup or ice-cream topping.

The Verdict.

YUM! This is very good.

did I mention the stick?

CrockPot Chipotle Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Day 153.

This was a fun dish to prepare because I had no idea what I was doing. I completely made it up. And not only did it cook nicely in the crock, it tasted good.

always an added bonus.

The Ingredients.

--enough chicken pieces to feed 4

--10 oz package of mushrooms

--1/2 chopped onion

--3 cloves minced garlic

--1 small sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped in chunks)

--2 green onions, chopped

--1 diced red bell pepper

--1/2 cup chicken broth

--1 t chipotle pepper

--1 t paprika

--1/4 t black pepper

--1 cup sour cream (to add later)

The Directions.

Add the chicken to the crockpot. I used frozen breast tenders. Prepare the vegetables and add on top of the chicken. Put in the broth, and add the spices. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is done and is beginning to shred.

Before serving, stir in the sour cream. If needed, heat on high for 30 minutes to bring back to desired serving temperature.

Serve over pasta or brown rice.

The Verdict.

This is a wonderful dish. The heat from the chipotle is nicely mellowed by the sour cream and the sweetness from the sweet potatoes. I would serve this to company---very yummy.

My kids ate this, but I did separate the chicken and the mushrooms for them, and gave them the rice in a separate bowl.

Blogger is giving me problems with extra spaces. It's quite annoying.

CrockPot Hamburger Patties Recipe

Day 159.

School is officially out, which means many more meals at home. Usually the "cooked" lunches around here are canned chili or soup, but I tried my hat at making hamburgers yesterday. Tracy (hi, Tracy!) emailed me earlier in the day to report that she was trying to make hamburgers, and I thought it was a great idea. She was a few hours ahead of me, and when she reported back she said that they worked, but there was a bunch of grease left in the crock.

That got my brain buzzing and I scoured the kitchen and garage for a little grill that would fit inside of my large, 6qt crockpot. I couldn't find one.

So I made a grill out of aluminum foil. This is a fun, easy way to make hamburgers for lunch (I could only fit 2 pre-formed burgers) without grease splatters on the stove. And I have yet to figure out the barbecue. That thing scares me.

The Ingredients.

--2 pre-formed hamburger patties, or 4 hand-made small ones

--a bit of seasoning (I used seasoned salt)

--slices of cheese; optional

hamburger fix'ens

The Directions.

Insert a tiny grill into your crockpot to keep the meat from cooking in grease. Unless that's okay with you.

Put the meat on top of the grill--I did not thaw the meat.

cover and cook on high. Check after 1 hour. Our burgers were completely cooked in 90 minutes. Although it's not shown in the picture, I did add a slice of cheddar cheese 15 minutes before turning off the crock. It melted nicely.

Drain on paper towels, and serve on a bun, or rice cake.

Top with all of your favorites.

The Verdict.

These were a hit! My six-year-old said it was the best hamburger she ever ate. I am very happy to have another easy lunch to put in the rotation this summer.

I really love my crockpot.

Cabbage Rolls CrockPot Recipe

Day 163.

I've never had cabbage rolls before. I didn't even know they existed until I started this blog and kept seeing them pop up here and there on different slow-cooking sites. The very first cabbage roll recipe that I bookmarked, was Sandra's, on a Slow-Cooking Thursday. I thought they sounded intriguing, but couldn't imagine that they tasted good. In my mind cabbage was for the cabbage soup diet.

I was way wrong.

Cabbage was invented for cabbage rolls. And for hiding babies. Or is it growing babies? Or for producing babies whose bodies are too big to fit into any regular doll clothes so you need to go out and get a specific type of doll clothes just for that one doll.

hmmph.

Anyhow, these cabbage rolls were wonderful. And since it's day 4 of Retro Week, you should make them. My photo did not come out anywhere near as good as Sandra's so just pretend that they look better. Because they taste awesome.

The Ingredients.

--1 head of cabbage

--1 egg

--1 8oz can tomato sauce

--1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

--1 envelope onion soup mix

--1 lb lean ground turkey

--1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

--2 cups**(see note below) regular V8 juice

The Directions.

--core your cabbage, and save it for the guinea pigs.

--very carefully, peel off large cabbage leaves (8-12, I used 8, Sandra used 12) and wash them. You need to lightly steam the cabbage leaves to wilt them enough to handle. I put the leaves in a covered casserole dish and microwaved on high for 2 minutes. They were perfect.

--in a mixing bowl, combine the turkey meat, raw rice, the egg, the onion soup mix, the cheese, and the can of tomato sauce. Mix well---the mixture will be like very gloppy meatloaf.

--Using a spoon, scoop about 1/3 of a cup of mixture into each cabbage leaf and roll or fold. Put the stuffed cabbage leaves into the bottom of your crockpot, seam side down.

If your cabbage has a bunch of nice leaves, use them all. I was stuck with only 8 good ones, and got frustrated and fed the rest of the cabbage to the guinea pigs.

It's okay to stack the rolls on top of each other in the crock.

**Top with 2 cups of V8 Juice. I used 2 cups of juice because I made 8 rolls. If you are using more rolls, use another cup of juice. The original recipe called for an entire 46 oz bottle of V8 which is an awful lot. I didn't want to use that much, and did not fully submerge my cabbage rolls. They steamed and cooked fine in less juice.

Cover crock and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Ours cooked for exactly 6 hours, and the meat was cooked and the rice was tender. That's what you're looking for.

The Verdict.

I didn't think I would like these, but I really did. I am greatly looking forward to making them again. Adam and I each ate 3. The kids had packaged macaroni and cheese. I offered it to them, and was not surprised when they ran away. The rolls look really weird, but they taste fantastic.

CrockPot Bacon and Cheese Chicken Recipe

Day 170.

I was blog surfing the other day and found a recipe entitled Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken. I knew that this was something that I had to try, and printed it out on the spot.

The internet loves bacon. It cracks me up how the love of bacon makes it's way through the blogosphere---I read about bacon on parenting blogs, life blogs, DIY blogs, and business blogs. Probably because I'm allergic to pork, I don't have an amazing love affair with bacon. I have discovered that beef bacon is very tasty, and according to my pork-eating family and friends, it tastes marvelous, and maybe even better.

But I don't crave the flavor of bacon. Now chicken and apple sausages are another thing...

I actually used turkey bacon for this recipe, since I had a bunch left over from the jalapeno poppers.

The Ingredients.

Adapted from Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken

--2 T olive oil

--4-6 chicken breast halves, or equivalent bird pieces (I used 8 breast tenders)

--12 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon

--1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Tamari's wheat-free that I found at Whole Foods)

--1/2 cup Ranch salad dressing

--1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

The Directions.

Put the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of your crock and spread it around. If you are using thighs or fattier cuts of meat, this step is probably optional.

Put the chicken in the crock on top of the oil.

In a small bowl, combine the teriyaki sauce and the ranch dressing. I kept tasting this---the flavor is so bizarre and tasty; I've never had anything like it.

Pour sauce over the top of the chicken. Add the shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon to the crock, getting between the chicken pieces, if you can.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. The cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken pieces are, and if they are fresh or frozen.

Since I used the tiny breast tenders (frozen) our dinner cooked in only 3 hours on high.

The Verdict.

We all loved this. It didn't remind us of a cheeseburger, though, and most of the dinner conversation revolved around the name and how it would be misleading to throw in the word "burger." I thought the use of the word was cute, but ultimately, I lost 1 to 5. (my brother and his wife were over for dinner. Hi Andy! Hi Karen!)

Very tasty. Thank you to Kevin and Amanda!

CrockPot Beans and Rice Recipe

Day 172.

I had two extra kids yesterday, which is wonderful---it meant my kids were happy and entertained and I could do the things that I've been meaning to do, but haven't gotten to since school has let out.

Like laundry.

Having two extra kids also meant that I couldn't go to the store to shop for elaborate ingredients for dinner, and needed to use what I had on hand in the house. Which was pretty much nothing.


CrockPot cooking rocks for pulling together a meal when you don't have a meal planned. Some of my best soups and meat dishes have come from dumping in a can of this, or adding some herb that I had never used before. I feel safer experimenting with the crockpot than I do on the stove or with the oven---the flavors mellow and I have so long to taste and prod the food, that if the dish needs and extra something-or-other, I can throw it in and nothing is wasted.
Usually.


The Ingredients.
--1 can of black beans --1 can of pinto beans
--1 cup of rice (we were low on brown rice, so I needed to use a bit of arborrio to round out the cup) --1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes
--1 T olive oil
--1/2 t kosher salt
--1 t Italian seasoning
--1/2 T dried onion flakes

The Directions.

--put the 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot, and add the rice. Swirl the rice around in the olive oil, until it is coated nicely.

--drain and rinse the beans, and add them

--drain the tomatoes, but reserve the liquid in a measuring cup. I got a little under a cup of tomato juice. Add the tomatoes.

--add water to the measuring cup with tomato juice. You need 2 cups of liquid.

--add seasonings stir well, and cover.

Cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for 3-4. My beans and rice cooked in an oval 6qt Smart Pot for 3.5 hours. It is done when the rice is tender. Brown rice or wild rice will take longer to cook than white rice--- I was surprised at how quickly it cooked. Our dinner was ready at 3:30. oops.


The Verdict.

This is a very nice clean-out-the-pantry dish. It's been hot here, and plugging in the crock and then going out in the sprinklers is a great way to spend the afternoon. I liked how the meal was "free"--because last year I would have ordered take-out as a "reward" for having extra kids, and because it was warm out.

How to Make CrockPot Crayons

Day 176.

What's the best thing to do with old, broken crayons? Recycle them! This is a great rainy (or overly hot) day project, that is both fun and useful.


The Ingredients. --old crayons

--muffin tin or candy mold. I was ecstatic to find a 6-hole, throw-away muffin tin at the grocery store. I really want to try and make cupcakes. In order for it to fit in my 6qt oval Smart-Pot, I needed to trim the edge a little with some scissors, but afterward I did that, it fit nicely into the crockpot. My friends have candy molds that fit in their crock perfectly, and next time I'm at the craft store I'm going to look for them.

--kid helpers.

The Directions.

Sort the crayons into color families, and peel the wrappers off. It helps to soak the crayons in some warm water before peeling.

Break the crayons into small pieces, and load into the candy mold or muffin tin. It's best to mound the crayons up a bit; they will melt and shrink down.

Put the tin or mold into the crock, cover, and turn on. We cooked our crayons on high for 1.5 hours.

Once the crayons have melted completely, your crayons are done. Let the hot wax sit in the crock and begin to harden before trying to remove the pan--- you don't want hot crayon wax spilled, or to get burnt.

Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes, or until the crayons have hardened completely and pull away from the edges. Pop out and enjoy!

The Verdict.

This was a fun project to do. We were surprised at how easy some crayons peeled, and how others needed to soak for quite a while to loosen the wrapper. We also noticed that crayola crayons sunk, while the generic crayons floated. The same thing happened in the melting process---the generic wax floated to the top, and the deep crayola color sunk to the bottom---which meant that in order to get a nice color, the kids need to use the bottom of the crayon. I will make these again. They were easy and the kids had a ball.

CrockPot Cream of Asparagus Soup

Day 184.

I took the kids to a little zoo and amusement park last week with my friend Jennifer, and her baby, Max. Jennifer went on and on and on and then on some more about cream of asparagus soup. She had some as a starter in a restaurant and was really impressed, and asked if I could try to make it in the crockpot.

So I did. There are two versions---one with cream and one without. The without cream is just as creamy, but doesn't leave a velvety film on your tongue the way the other one does. And the color is more forest-green than asparagusish.


The Ingredients.

--1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus (although I'd imagine frozen would work just fine)
--4 cups vegetable broth
--1/2 white onion, chopped
--2 tiny red potatoes (or one med. brown)
--1 t black pepper (please don't use this much. it was a mistake.)
--1/2 t seasoned salt
--1/2 cup half and half (optional; to add at the end of cooking time)

The Directions.

Wash and trim the woody ends off of the asparagus, and feed to the guinea pigs. Cut the rest of the asparagus into 2-inch-or-so chunks.

Add the asparagus to the crock, along with the chopped onion and potato (I didn't peel the potatoes, by the way). Pour in your broth and add the seasoned salt and pepper. I chose seasoned salt because it sounded fancy, and I was in a fancy mood. Kosher salt would work just fine.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 3-5.

The soup is ready when the potatoes are tender.

CAREFULLY, seriously, BE CAREFUL: use a hand blender to soupify. If you don't have a hand blender, you can blend the soup in batches in your traditional blender.

Return to the crock and stir in the half and half, if using.

Salt and pepper to taste (I, um, didn't need to add more pepper...)

The Verdict.

This is a good soup; very asparagusy and creamy. Unless you add a whole teaspoon of black pepper. I got confused. I decided at the very last minute to double the spice after the curried potato experience, and the advice in Kalyn's Slow Cooking article. I think that it's good advice---but I took it a bit too far.

I'd start with 1/2 t of pepper, and then season accordingly to taste when finished. I like asparagus, and I like soup. So by default, this was a winner. Adam suggested adding some tobasco; I'm going to try that for lunch.

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Thank you so much for all of your kind words yesterday; they were a joy to read and really warmed my heart. It means a tremendous amount to know that there are so many people on this journey with me. If you still feel like you want to read more---there is an an interview with me up at Parent Dish. Bethany did a fantastic job, and was so much fun to work with.
xoxox steph

CrockPot Vietnamese Roasted Chicken Recipe

Day 182.

We eat a LOT of chicken in our house. I grew up on boneless, skinless chicken, and we had it quite often. When I started cooking and shopping for my own family, I followed suit and make sure that we have plenty of chicken parts in the freezer.

The problem with eating a lot of chicken is that you get bored.

Really bored. And you start to hate chicken.

and maybe you begin to kind of want to gouge your eyeballs out with a fork at the idea of another boring dry chicken meal.

This is not a boring dry chicken meal. This is the opposite. This chicken is juicy, full-of-flavor, and downright adventurous.

I was inspired by reading this post at Sunday Nite Dinner. I still have fish sauce in the house from when I made the Pho, and was excited to have another use.


The Ingredients.
Adapted from Sunday Nite Dinner.

--4-6 chicken thighs (my thighs had skin and bones)
--1 1/2 Tbl gluten free soy sauce
--1 1/2 Tbl fish sauce
--1 1/2 tsp white sugar
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--4 cloves chopped garlic
--1 Tbl canola oil
--foil (optional)

The Directions.

I tried the foil trick of balling up pieces of aluminum foil to line the bottom of the crock in order to create a crispy skin. It didn't really work, but it was a fun experiment.

I put the chicken on top of the foil balls.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over the top of the chicken. My chicken was frozen solid and I worried that the flavor wouldn't sink in as nicely as it would if I had marinated it for a while--it was fine.

Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for 3-4. The cooking time is dependent on how thick your chicken pieces are, and if they are fresh or frozen.

The Verdict.

Make this. Eat this.

The skin didn't get crispy the way that I was hoping it might by using the foil balls. But, the chicken was moist and fell apart---the sauce is an amazing flavor that I haven't had before. I will definitely make this again. I'd like to try the sauce on drumettes as an appetizer.

We ate it over white rice---and practically licked the remaining sauce out of the crock.

super yummy.

CrockPot French Dip Sandwiches

Day 186.

Happy Fourth of July! If you are looking for some easy and delicious recipes for a backyard barbecue, try these:

corn on the cob
beans and weenies
barbecued ribs
sweet and spicy chicken wings
chili
frito candy

Or, you can make French Dip Sandwiches. These sandwiches are completely and totally American, because they call for The Two American Ingredients: beer and red meat.

But this isn't just any ordinary beer---it's gluten free! I finally tracked down some Redbridge beer at a local Beverages and More. Redbridge's website has a zipcode tracker, but none of the locations were close enough. A quick email later, and Lindsay from Anheuser-Busch confirmed that both our Beverages and More and Whole Foods carry the line. Awesome.

Redbridge is made from Sorghum, so it's completely gluten-free.

Jenny from Lipstick and Laundry shared this recipe with me, and it's fantastic.

The Ingredients.

This is Jenny's Recipe:

4 lbs beef roast, I actually buy Beef Round Sandwich Steak, (meaning it is already sliced)
1 (10.5 oz) can of beef broth
2 (10.5 oz) cans of Condensed French Onion Soup
1 (12 oz) bottle of dark beer (I only use 1/2 the bottle)
1Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
6 French Rolls (I like Sara Lee)
Butter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To make it gluten free, I changed some stuff around. I can't find a gluten free canned French Onion soup, so I used the recipe that I made earlier in the year.

This is my version--use whichever one works best for your family!

- 2 lbs thin pieces of steak meat
- 1/2 T sugar
- 2 T butter
- 3 cups beef broth
- 12 oz bottle of Redbridge beer
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 1/4 cup cooking sherry
- 1 yellow onion, cut in rings
- 3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
- 1 t gluten free Worcestershire sauce

The Directions.

Put the butter into the bottom of the crockpot and turn on. Add the meat, garlic, and onions, and swirl around in the butter.

Pour in the broth, beer, and cooking sherry. Add pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

If your meat is still in large chunks, remove it carefully, and slice. Return the meat back to the broth.

Serve on rolls. I made rolls from the Whole Foods 365 bread mix, and added some cheddar cheese to the sandwiches. Traditionally, gruyere is used.

Dip the sandwich into the broth before each bite for a nice juicy flavor and consistency.

The Verdict.

These were so much fun and tasted marvelous! And Very American.

Thanks, Jenny, for the idea. Jenny also has a good tip about slow-cooking in hot climates. We're lucky here in that it never gets terribly hot, but we used to live where summertime temperatures were well over 100 degrees daily.

Jenny shares her tips: "I set the crockpot on an outdoor table and cook outside, I have an outlet right by my sliding glass door, so I cook on our patio, and I can keep an eye on it, then my kitchen doesn't heat up... You can also set it on a workbench in the garage. Just some useful things I personally do for the summer crock potting!"

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 it's soy sauce, and the sweet and sour sauce is labeled the same way. So there's no gluten! yippee!

We hadn't 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 it's 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 that's 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 didn't 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 didn't 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 Jamaican Salmon

Day 194.

I like it when sweet and spicy flavors co-mingle, so I was intrigued by the idea of making a Jamaican dry rub of my own to use on chicken or fish.

That, and when ever I hear someone on TV name a dish "Jamaican Me Crazy" something or other, I simultaneously groan and laugh. Every. Single. Time.

We've had rather heavy meals lately, and needed to lighten it up a bit. Cooking fish in your crockpot is super easy, and results in a perfectly cooked, flaky fish, with no icky fish smell.

and! since you're cooking the fish in foil, the crock is virtually spotless when you're finished; an added bonus.

The Ingredients.

--aluminum foil (go for a good quality, not the cheapy dollar store stuff)
--1 pound thawed or fresh salmon

For the jerk rub:

-- 1/8 t cloves
--1/8 t ginger
--1/8 t nutmeg
--1 t salt
--1 t onion or garlic powder (I used onion)
--2 t white sugar
--1/4 t chipotle chili powder
--1/2 t cayenne pepper (this was TOO much for us. Don't use this much.)
--1/4 t black pepper
--1/8 t thyme
--1/2 t cinnamon

or buy a bottle of Jamaican jerk rub seasoning, and use about 1/4 cup.

The Directions.

Combine all of the spice run ingredients in a bowl. Spread out a length of foil, and put the fish in the middle of it. Rub both sides of the fish with the dry rub. Fold the foil over and make an enclosed packet. If it looks like there is a gap and it might leak fish juice out, use another piece to wrap around, just in case.

Put the foil packet into the crockpot. Do not add any water.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Fish doesn't take long to cook. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Serve with rice or pasta and vegetables.

The Verdict.

The salmon cooked perfectly, but the spice rub was way too spicy for me. I needed a big bite of rice with each bite to act as a fire extinguisher. Adam wasn't home to taste it, he'll have the leftovers. I didn't even try to get the kids to eat any---it was much too spicy.

BUT! I still liked the flavor---I would definitely use a dry jerk rub again, but use much less cayenne, or leave it out all together and just stick with the chipotle chili powder and the black pepper.

CrockPot Peppercorn Steak

Day 193.

I have been getting so many wonderful emails and comments with recipes! I'm having a ball sorting through them all.

Krystle emailed me and shared one of her family's favorite meals with me--peppercorn steak.

I just so happened to have a package of frozen steaks in the freezer, and gave it a try yesterday. Her original recipe called for using canned tomato soup, but after a trip to the grocery store, I learned that many cans of tomato soup are thickened with wheat starch--not good in our house. So I tweaked a little, and was quite happy with the results!

The Ingredients.

--4 to 6 steaks (use whatever is on sale, it's going to tenderize nicely in the crock; don't buy expensive meat.)
--1 cup tomato sauce
--1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce (Lea Perrins is GF)
--1/4 cup of water
--2 chopped bell peppers (I used one yellow, one green)
--1 chopped yellow onion
--8 oz sliced mushrooms
--1 T Italian seasoning
--1/4 t black pepper

The Directions.

Put the meat in the crockpot; mine was still frozen solid. Cover with the chopped vegetables. Pour in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and water. Add the Italian seasoning and black pepper.

No need to stir.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. I cooked our dinner for 6 hours on high.

The Verdict.

I liked this! I liked how the steak lifted out of the juice without falling apart, and was able to be sliced like a steak cooked in the oven or on the grill. The flavor with the tomato sauce and the Worcestershire was greats---rich and peppery. I've never used that much Worcestershire before; usually I use only a few tablespoons at a time.

This makes a lot of sauce. I bet you could use the remaining sauce as a soup base or to make a fabulous gravy. We ate our meat and veggies separate on the dinner plate, with a spinach salad.

One kid ate 2 whole steaks and proclaimed that it was the best steak she had ever had and asked if she could eat it every day for "dinner, lunch, and breakfast. And maybe sometimes for snack. After I eat my banana. Of course." And then there was a lot of eye rolling---we've had the same banana in the fridge for the last three days. She opened it, took a bite, then said she was full. There's been a lot of banana talk around here lately...

thank you, Krystle, for a great meal, and a keeper recipe!