The Crock Pot Blog

This is a great tasting beef soup recipe that is hearty enough to be used as a main course meal.

What You Need:

1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1″ cubes
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp cooking oil
3 medium onions, sliced
1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2″ slices
4 parsnips, cut into 1/2″ slices
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp snipped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp quick cooking tapioca
1 14 1/2 oz can beef broth
1 12 oz can of your favorite beer

How To Make It:

Add flour to a bowl and mix in beef cubes to coat.
Add cooking oil to a skillet and heat on stove top.
Brown the coated beef cubes in the skillet and then drain well on paper towel.
In a 5 or 6 quart crockpot, place onions, carrots, parsnips, garlic, bay leaves, dried thyme, and pepper.
Sprinkle with the tapioca.
Place browned meat on top of vegetables.
Add beef broth and beer.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove bay leaves before serving.

Tips:

If you are using fresh thyme, stir it in about 20 minutes before the cooking cycle is done, not at the begining with the rest of the ingredients.

This crock pot recipe is a version of the classic Chicken Parmigiana originating in southern Italy.

What You Need:

4 chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs, Italian seasoned if possible
1/2 cup butter
10 oz spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
4 slices Mozarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

How to Make It:
In a bowl beat the egg and add the salt and pepper.
Pour the bread crumbs into another bowl.
Dip chicken breat halves into the egg, then coat with crumbs.
In large skillet saute chicken in butter to brown then remove and drain well.
Arrange chicken in the bottom of a 6 qt. crock pot.
Pour sauce over the chicken.
Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
Put a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken breast half and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes to melt the cheese.

Tips:

Serve with a side of spaghetti and your favorite tossed greens.

Fresh herbs add intense flavor and color.

Herbs and spices are important for successful crock pot recipes. Here are some tips to get the most out these essential ingredients.

Fresh herbs add wonderful flavor and color to a crock pot recipe, but must be added at the end of the cooking cycle. If added at the beginning, the desired flavor from many fresh herbs will dissipate over the long cooking time.

For dishes with short cooking times, hearty fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme do hold up well.

Ground and dried herbs and spices work very well in slow cooker recipes and may be added at the beginning of the cooking cycle. Be careful of the shelf life of dried herbs and spices as the flavor tend to lose strength over long storage times.

Use chili powders and garlic powder sparingly as the flavor of these spices can intensify over long cooking times.

Always taste the dish at the end of the cooking cycle and correct seasonings as necessary.

This is a traditional Louisiana Creole style bean and rice recipe prepared in the crock pot.

What You Need:

1 to 2 pounds smoked sausage, cut into 1″ slices
3 15 oz cans black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups onions — chopped
1 1/2 cups green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
5 bay leaves
1 can 8-oz. tomato sauce
1 cup water
Hot boiled rice

How To Make It:
Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
Drain fat and transfer to a 6 qt. crockpot.
Combine remaining ingredients in crockpot.
Cover and cook on low 8 hrs. or on high 4 hrs.
Remove bay leaves.
Serve over the cooked rice.

Tips:
Serves 6 to 8.
For a thicker consistency, you can mash some to the beans against the side of the crock pot with a large spoon half way through the cooking.
This is a mild dish, so have a bottle of hot sauce on the table for those who want a little extra kick.

Slow cookers – or crock pots – are one of the best time-saving piece of cookware in your kitchen. For the family on the go, it means filling the cooker with raw ingredients in the morning (or the night before with refrigeration) and then 8-12 hours later to a tender, delicious meal. You start the meal and then ignore it – the slow cooker does the rest.

Slow cooking has nearly reached sub-culture status in our society, with avid cooks searching for that perfect one-pot meal. While bookstores are filled with crock pot cookbooks, many cooks seek to convert recipes they already have. Conversion isn’t difficult, but there are a few important things to keep in mind.

1. Reduce the amount of liquid called for except in the case of rice, beans or pasta. Slow cooking doesn’t lose liquid as with normal pot and pan cooking. In most cases you can reduce the called-for liquid by half, especially for LOW settings. You can always add additional liquid toward the end if you prefer thinner results, with soups, for example.

2. Cook most vegetable and meat combinations for at least 8 hours on LOW. This allows the vegetables to soften, the meat to tenderize, and all the flavors to blend optimally. Keep in mind that LOW generally equates to 200 deg. F. and HIGH to 300 deg. F.

Beef generally cooks best  on LOW in about 8-10 hours, while chicken cooks perfectly on HIGH in 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You’ll need to experiment with your slow cooker since different brands will vary somewhat. If you’re using a programmable slow cooker, follow the manufacturer’s conversion guidelines for best results when combining temperature settings.

3. You may need to adjust your use of spices. Whole herbs and spices tend to increase in potency with slow cooking, while ground spices tend to lose their flavor over the same amount of time. For consistent results, add ground spices toward the end of the cooking process. You may be able to reduce whole herbs and spices by as much as half. Don’t be afraid to experiment – too much or too little spice is a simple call.

While there are other things to consider when converting recipes for slow cooking, the above 3 guidelines will account for the most difference in your results. Remember, it’s all about taste and practice makes better – the crowd you’re cooking for will provide all the feedback you need. Bon apetit!

What You Need:

4 lb beef or sirloin tips, cubed
1/2 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 c Chopped green onions
1/2 lb Mushrooms, sliced
1 carton Condensed beef broth, (10 1/2 oz.)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Tomato paste or ketchup
1/4 c Dry red wine or water
3 tbp Flour
Buttered noodles

How To Make It:

Combine 1/2 cup flour with the salt and pepper in a bowl.
Dredge the beef cubes in the flour mixtue to coat thoroughly.
In a skillet with the cooking oil, brown the beef cubes, then drain and pat dry on paper towel.
Place the browned beef cubes in a 6 qt. crock-pot and add green onions and sliced mushrooms.
Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste or ketchup to a bowl and stir well to combine.
Pour over beef and vegetables.
Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 12 hours.
One hour before serving, turn to HIGH setting.
In a small bowl, make a smooth paste with the red wine or water and 3 tablespoons flour.
Stir the flour into crock-pot to thicken the sauce, mixing well and continue on high heat until cooking time is complete.
Serve over your favorite hot buttered noodles or pasta.

This chicken cacciatore recipe is a little more involved than most crock pot recipes, but it is well worth the effort.

What You Need

1 whole chicken cut into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup julienned carrot
1 cup julienned green pepper
2 Tbsp minced garlic
8 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup red or Marsala wine
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
freshly grated Romano cheese

How To Make It

Wash and drain the chicken pieces well.
Heat the oil in a deep skillet on your stove top.
Dredge chicken pieces in the flour and brown each piece on all sides to a golden brown.
Transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain of any excess oil.
Saute the onion, mushrooms, carrots, green peppers, and garlic in the same skillet.
Add the tomatoes and saute for another 5 minutes.
Place chicken pieces in a 6 qt. crock pot.
Pour sauted ingredients over chicken in the crock pot.
Stir in the tomato paste, wine, herbs, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours.
Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
Serve with your favorite pasta, some freshly grated Romano cheese and a nice warm loaf of Italian bread.

Tips:
The longer this recipe simmers in the crock pot, the better it tastes.

What You Need

1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
1/2 a soup can of water
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breast
non-stick cooking spray

For Chive Dumplings:
3 tbsp. shortening
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3 tbl.fresh, chopped chives, or 2 tbl. dried chives
3/4 cup skim milk

How To Make It:

Spray a 6 qt. crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
Place chicken in crockpot.
Combine remaining main ingredients together and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

One hour before serving, prepare chive dumplings:
Mix dry ingredients and shortening.
Add chives and milk, combine well.
Drop by teaspoonsful onto hot chicken and gravy in the crock pot.
Cover and cook on high for 45-60 minutes.

Tips:

Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables, or over hot, cooked noodles.

Slow cookers – or crock pots – have become a cultural phenomenon in America and can be found in a majority of kitchens. Exchanging crock pot recipes is a major social activity for many cooks searching for endless variety and that perfect one-pot meal. Check your bookstore for ‘crock pot’ titles and you’ll see just how diverse this style of cooking has become.

Slow cooking is just that – allowing time and the right cookware to produce wonderfully moist and delicious meals with a minimum of involvement during the cooking process. It’s the perfect prepare-now-eat-much-later approach guaranteed to win fans among family members and guests. The aromas associated with slow cooking alone will garner repeated “Is it done yet?”pleadings.

Slow cookers are simple – an inner ‘pot’ (usually enameled) and an outer shell containing the heating element. Slow cookers are typically round in shape, but many cooks are opting for oval units that allow cooking of whole chickens and longer piece of meat, like ribs. Lids are typically glass for easy monitoring.

A separate ‘pot’ allows the ultimate in convenience. You can prepare your meal the night before, store it overnight in the refrigerator, and drop it into the heating element before you leave the next day. What’s not to like?

There are really only two considerations when looking to buy a slow cooker – size and control options. Units come in a variety of sizes, but most cooks favor the 4 or 5-quart size that’s perfect for the family-sized pot of chili or stew. Choose the size that fits your intended use and make sure the lid fits snugly to produce the all-important seal.

Basic controls are simple high-low-off settings. Newer units now include programmable features that allow delayed start, temperature changes, and warming cycles, all with digital readouts. Why be gone only four hours when you can stay gone for eight?

Slow cookers vary widely in price – from under $20 to over $300. Slow cooking is perfect for the family on the go that is willing to avoid fast food and return home to a delicious and nutritious meal that’s a winner every time – anticipation alone practically guarantees it!

One of the mainstays of a nutritional diet is whole grains. Unlike processed flour, whole grains contain all parts of the seed for greater nutrition. We are used to eating whole wheat, cracked wheat and even oatmeal. But there are three grains that you may not be all that familiar with that provide incredible nutrition: bulgur wheat, barley and quinoa.

Bulgur Wheat

It has many spellings but it is all the same wheat. Bulgur is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. It is most often used as a cereal food. Bulgur is harvested from a variety of wheat but mostly durum.

It is different from other grains in that it is parboiled before it is packaged and sold. This makes it convenient for cooking. In prepared dishes, it only has to be reconstituted with water to be included. You can add it to uncooked dishes that require minimum cooking.

For those who are weary of grains and their flavors, bulgur has a nutty flavor. Soaking it in flavorful broth instead of water enhances its taste. If you haven’t cooked with bulgur before, you may recognize it as the main ingredient in tabbouleh salad. It is also added to muffins, soups and stuffing.

Quinoa

Quinoa is pronounced “keen-wa.” This small round grain was first discovered in South America. It is grown for its seeds which we eat. Processing removed the outer unpalatable coating to reveals a nutty tasting seed.

Quinoa can be used in dishes that call for rice and even couscous. It has fewer calories and more nutrients. Besides it is a gluten-free grain that is perfect for vegetarian dishes and for people on a gluten-free diet or allergic to it.

Quinoa is full of protein making it an excellent breakfast food. It is not a cereal grain per se but it can be eaten that way. Mix cooked quinoa with some nuts and honey to make a great hot cereal. To cook it, boil the seeds just like rice.

Barley

You may have heard of this grain but didn’t know what to do with it. Well, barley is a special grain. It comes in pearl form, flakes, grit form and as flour. Barley is high in fiber, both soluble and insoluble.

Cooked, barley lends its nutty flavor to soups, casseroles, salad and cereal. To get the most nutrition out of it, cook it yourself at home instead of choosing commercially prepared products. Barley makes a good ingredient or muffins and pancakes to add a little extra fiber and taste to your breakfast.

All three of these grains have health benefits. Their high fiber content makes them great for fighting heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Because they are grains, they release their energy slowly to fuel the body all day.

Are you searching for ways to get rid of the white flour from your diet? Try these three grains.