A Year of Slow Cooking

Entertaining With Your Slow Cooker

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Do not read this as "Entertaining Your slow Cooker." Even though I anthropomorphize probably more than I should, I do draw the line somewhere. :-)

We're fast approaching the season for entertaining. The Holidays bring about many reasons for getting together, and many different ways to utilize your slow cookers so you can get out of the kitchen and enjoy your guests.

This past weekend I fired up the Crock-Pot Trio, and brought it to a friend's house for a Halloween Party. I put in three different dips/appetizers:

Sundried Tomato Dip
Brie with Apricot Topping (this gets a lot of mileage. It's a favorite with my friends)
Sausage, Cream Cheese, and Rotel Dip (aka "mommy crack")

The Trio works well, but the cord is terribly short and each of the 3 (2-quart) inserts has a spoon slot, which means you have to put down a layer of foil while cooking/heating so your food doesn't dry out. This isn't much of a problem, but it is something to be aware of while using.

We aren't hosting any big parties this year, but in the past have really utilized my collection of slow cookers to prepare and serve hot appetizers, beverages, side dishes, and a variety of main courses. I love it that I can put the food on early in the day, then tend to the other chores around the house while dinner cooks itself.

I also appreciate the opportunity to mingle with guests as they arrive instead of fiddling in the kitchen.

The slow cooker is also an excellent way to bring a dish to a friend or neighbor's house who is hosting the main event. Oven and stove top space can be hard to come by, but there's always
an extra outlet available--even if it means plugging the cooker into an outlet in the garage.

What are your favorite ways to use your slow cooker for entertaining? If you have any great recipes that work well to serve large groups, or any slow cooker entertaining stories, please leave them in the comment section. We could all use some new ideas for parties this time of year!

related:

Slow Cooker Holiday Food
A Slow Cooker Party

Also!

I have a post up at BlogHer.com where I ask YOU about your children's play habits.

and, Books Inc, Burlingame, CA will be hosting a book signing/launch party for Make it Fast, Cook it Slow this Friday evening, November 6, at 6:30 pm. I'm going to be giving away a brand new Crock-Pot eLume--it's gorgeous. If you are in the area, I'd love to meet you!

Slow Cooker Witch's Brew Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Happy almost-Halloween! We had a play date today, and my 5-year-old taste-testers couldn't get enough of this stuff. The comments I overheard were priceless:

"it doesn't taste like there are spiders or lizards or bugs in it"
"how did your mom even know how to make this?"
"is my tongue green yet?"
"I've never had ice cream in a drink before"
"I guess this is why witches have green faces"

This is a super easy hot beverage to whip up, and tastes like a lovely citrus cocktail. I'm sure you could put a shot or two of something in there if you are planning on serving adults.

The Ingredients.
serves 8-10

2 quarts apple juice
2 quarts pineapple juice (or thereabouts. the canned holds 1 quart, 14 oz)
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 box (6 ounces) lime jello powder
5-6 whole star anise *
orange sherbert (to add before serving)

* I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase star anise if you don't already have it in the house. It looks neat floating in the pot (like little spiders), and provides a touch of a licorice taste, but not enough to justify the expense. If you really want a tad bit of licorice flavor, throw in a few jelly beans and call it a day.

The Directions.

You will need a 5.5 quart or larger slow cooker. If you only have a smaller one in the house, you'll need to cut down the juice quantities.

Pour in the juices, and add the allspice. Stir in the jello powder, and float the star anise (if using) on top. Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours, or on high for about 3. Serve with a scoop of orange sherbert---it will cool the beverage down enough for small children to enjoy right away, and creates a fun foamy slimy film---perfect for Halloween.

The Verdict.

Delicious. It's quite limey in flavor, and a really fun color. I debated whether or not to thrown in a handful of grapes to mimic eyeballs, and am glad I decided not to. I think the possible choking hazard thing would worry me too much. My little friends were thrilled with their after-school snack (I promise I fed them lunch before filling them up with sugar!) and I received many sticky hugs and thank yous.

I also taught them my favorite joke of all time:

What's Ernie's favorite ice cream?

SureBert!

hahahahahahaa

P.S. don't look now, but the Holidays are right around the corner. They really, and truly are. Here's a round-up I did on Totally Together for Holiday Gifts that Support Bloggers.

also, if you have not yet entered the $200 gift card giveaway, it's still going strong over on my Review Blog.

Have a fantastic Halloween. Be safe!

Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:11:00 +0000

Thank you so much for all of your support last week for the book launch. It went really well, and I am so lucky to have the very best readers in the history of the Internet. It truly means so much to me when I read all of your comments, emails, blog posts, tweets, and web chatter.

If you haven't yet caught the GMA clip, and want to check it out, here it is: Stephanie O'Dea, Good Morning America, October 13, 2009.

I just got back from a pumpkin patch field trip with sixty kindergarteners. In the rain. I wish I could say that I planned ahead and plugged something in so I could happily (and maybe a bit smugly?) report that, "we came home to a hearty bowl full of wholesome goodness that warmed us right up."

oh how I wish I could say that.

But I can't. We came home instead to soggy tuna and rice cakes.

But you? You can totally plan ahead. These are fantastic fall slow cooker recipes that will keep your tummies full, your house warm and cozy, your family happy, and your budget in check.

Beverages

Holiday (non-alcoholic) Punch (although "Holiday" is in the title, I've been making this a lot. Wednesdays can totally be the new Holiday.)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (yummers)
Chai Tea Latte (I don't actually like this so much, but my mother-in-law loves it, and so do her friends.)

Appetizers

Brie with Balsamic Apricot Topping (just made this again on Saturday, and have been requested to make it on Thursday for my friend Jennifer's jewelry party. Oh! anyone want to buy jewelry? I think there might be an online form.)
Sundried Tomato Dip (one of the very first things I made during my challenge)
Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip (AKA Mommy Crack)
Pizza Fondue (liquid pizza)
Fancy Cheese Fondue

Main Courses

Apricot Chicken (the kids LOVE this)
Pomegranate Beef (from Karina's Kitchen, the Gluten Free Goddess. She is wonderful.)
Pizza Soup (because you need more liquid pizza)
Cowboy Stew (from Headless Mom)
Pasta Fagioli (copy cat(ish) from the Olive Garden. We eat this monthly.)
Coq au Vin (red wine for purple, white wine for not-purple)
Azorean Stew (from Sean at Hedonia)
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup (I get the nicest thank you notes about this one)
Java Roast (doesn't taste like coffee. I promise.)
Chile Verde (I make this for guests. Often.)
Margarita Chicken (from Alanna, of Kitchen Parade)
Mongolian Beef (lots of ingredients, but totally worth it)
Korean Ribs (from Stefania, of City Mama)
Orange Apricot Pork Chops (a favorite with kids)
Cranberry Pork Tenderloin (my little buddy Austin's review is priceless on this one)
Asian Peanut Butter Pork (mmm. peanut butter.)
Sausage Vegetable Medley (we eat this an awful lot. super easy.)
Autumn Sausage Casserole (C. Beth reminded me to add this!)
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup (amazingly delicious)

Desserts

Cheesecake (I was crazily ecstatic at how this turned out. I think the neighbors could hear my squealing)
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (exactly what it sounds like!)
Apple Crisp (the people in the audience at GMA liked this)
Peach (or whatever fruit you'd like) Pie (I had canned peaches in the house)
Pumpkin Pie Dip (fondue-y)
5 Layer Brownies (use a small slow cooker for this, or your middle won't set)
Pound Cake (I can't believe I ate the whole thing)
Rice Krispies Treats (the kids can do this alone. while I nap. It's a good thing.)
Caramel Apples (great surprise as an after school snack)
Brownie-in-a-Mug (So. Much. Fun.)

Good Morning America, and Other Announcements

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:00:00 +0000

1.) The book is completely and totally and officially all done. It will be in stores this coming Tuesday, October 13. If you have pre-ordered from Amazon (and THANK YOU!!! for the pre-orders!) your book will be mailed that day.

2.) I am going to New York, and will be on Good Morning America on Tuesday, October 13. Set your DVRs, email your grandma, and tweet your peeps. I'm trying my hardest to not have an anxiety attack while on camera.

or on the plane.

My mom took me shopping for nice maternity clothes which actually fit, so I'm hoping I look pregnant and not just like a huge swollen blob.

3.) I got my hair done today. It's a bit darker than I've had in quite some time, and I really like it. The kids are weirded out. Adam likes it, but he says that no matter what. I'm quite pleased-- I think it looks fallish.

4.) You may have noticed my new super-awesome header with clickable tabs, thanks to the lovely and talented Jennette Fulda, of Make My Blog Pretty. If you are ever in need of any site design, tweaking, or hand-holding, Jennette is your girl. I can not possibly express how wonderful and responsive she is.
She is also the author of Half Assed, a hysterical weight-loss memoir I read on the plane the last time I went to New York. I was so thankful to have her book to keep my mind off of the turbulence.

I hate turbulence.

eek. Now I've freaked myself out again.

5.) I've gotten a few emails about an icky ad for cutting out belly fat that has been automatically attaching itself to the bottom of the emails that go out through feedburner. I had NO IDEA this was happening, and greatly appreciate the head's up. I've since contacted google and have asked to be opted out of certain campaigns, but it looks like it takes about 24 hours to process these types of requests.

I'm terribly sorry that this happened, and I hate it that anyone has been inadvertently offended.

6.) The $200 gift card give-away is still going strong over at Totally Together Reviews. If you haven't already entered, hop to it!

7.) I am ecstatic that the book is finally here. I've heard several authors liken writing and publishing a book to child birth. I have even joked with friends that sometimes it feels that way. But I've decided it's not the same. It's not even close.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is family. So. Hug your kids, call your parents, your grandparents, your sister, and your brother, and remember that all the day-to-day stuff doesn't matter. Family comes first.

and then go set your DVRs. ;-)

xoxo steph

Indian Spiced Lentils with Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:07:00 +0000

I had a few bags of lentils in the house, and attempted to make a chicken and lentil stew last week. I really like Indian spices, and thought that if I threw some in the pot I'd get a tasty lentil soup/stew with chicken.

I didn't get soup.

It could have been because I was on the phone, and helping the kids with homework, and frantically folding laundry while I was assembling ingredients and writing down quantities, but it also could just be that I estimated the liquid-to-solid ratio wrong.

The result was not a soup or stew, but instead a tasty and hearty lentil dish with a bit of chicken here and there for some added protein. If you would prefer to omit the chicken and keep this vegetarian, that's perfectly fine. I wouldn't bother to adjust the liquid, but instead keep the lid off of the slow cooker while you set the table. The extra liquid will absorb into the lentils and the steam will evaporate.

We all gobbled this up---which just shows that sometimes your accidental flubs in the kitchen can be a great success!

The Ingredients.
serves 4, with a bit leftover

2 cups lentils (mine were brown)
3 cups chicken broth (you could use veggie)
3 cups water
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon corriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can diced chiles (hot or mild, your choice)--no need to drain
1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh)
2 large chicken breast halves

The Directions.

Use a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker. Rinse the lentils under cold water until it runs clear. Dump into the slow cooker. Add broth and water. Add diced onion and celery. Add all spices, the garlic, and chiles. Stir to combine.

Lay 2 largeish chicken breast halves on top of the assembled food. My breast halves were frozen solid.

Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours, or on high for about 4. Before serving, remove chicken from the slow cooker, chop it up, and stir back in. Serve over basmati rice with corn tortillas or naan wedges (not gluten free) as scoopers.

The Verdict.

Although I was initially pretty bummed that my soup wasn't a soup, this turned out really tasty, and all of us enjoyed our dinner. The Indian spices were pronounced, but not spicy. Adam added a bit of spice to his with some red chile flakes, but I abstained (to ward off pregnancy heartburn. in case you were wondering. which you probably weren't, but there you go.).

I heated the leftovers up for lunch and my almost-5-year-old and her friend happily ate them.

Me, writing elsewhere. But Most Importantly, a $200 Gift Card Give-Away!

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I promise that when I don't post regularly it's not because I'm sitting around watching bad day time TV and eating bon-bons.

Although, I do secretly wish that was true.

maybe not so secretly.

Sometimes when you write on the internet for a while people want to give you stuff. Mostly I ignore the stuff that is offered, because it doesn't fit into slow-cooking, our particular lifestyle, it isn't gluten-free, or it's icky (think viagra).

But sometimes something comes along that is just-too-good-to-pass-up, and would directly benefit our family for the better.

And I feel like I'd be a do-do if I didn't say yes.

A few weeks ago was one of those times. I'd like to share with you our brand-new free thing, and the opportunity for you to win a $200 gift card so you, too, could have a brand-new free thing.

Just in time for the holidays! Although I promise not tell if you keep the card for yourself.

I'd also like to share a new post on Totally Together: The Art of Being Present
and
a write-up on BlogHer.com I did about Helping Children Express Feelings. (edited: I guess the link isn't live yet. When it is, I'll update. )

and that's it. Now go! Go win some of other people's money!

BlogHer Food '09

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:07:00 +0000

I had a lovely Saturday. I attended the first annual BlogHer Food conference, and it was fantastic.

I was actually a bit hesitant to attend, since I don't really consider myself a foodie, and although this is technically a food blog, and even though I've written about food for over a year and have a cookbook coming out (in a few weeks! squee!) I don't actually know that much about food.

And I will never, ever have a zen moment while cutting an onion.

shhh. don't tell anyone.

So I was a bit worried to go. I was worried that it might feel a bit snotty.

I was SO WAY WRONG.

I didn't bring my camera (Adam had it on the soccer field for the girls' game), so I don't have pictures of the lovely ladies I met, but I'd like to link to some extraordinary women (and Sean. Hi, Sean!) who you might or might not already know.

These are all real people who know about food. I had a real conversation with all of them, and guess what? No one was snotty. Yay!

And they all twitter. I've been super hesitant to jump on the twitter bandwagon because I'm terrified of time-suck. But I signed up, so I can keep in touch better with my peeps. I haven't actually tweeted anything yet, though, because I haven't figured it out. I think this is who I am: http://twitter.com/stephanieodea
well. I know WHO I am, but that doesn't mean I know what to do with this here account. I plan to put the kids to bed early and figure it out.

(psst, there is no order to these blogs. just how they happened to pop into my head just now.)

Shirley Braden, Gluten Free Easily
Diane Eblin, The W.H.O.L.E. (whole healthy organic living everyday) Gang
Alison St. Sure, Sure Foods Living
Elana Amsterdam, Elana's Pantry
Michelle Stern, What's Cooking Blog
Karen, Sassy Monkey
Kristen Doyle, Dine and Dish
Michelle Lentz, My Wine Education (wine-girl.net)
Book of Yum
Anne-Marie Nichols, This Mama Cooks
Shauna James Ahern, Gluten Free Girl
Kalyn Denny, Kalyn's Kitchen
Sean Timberlake, Hedonia
Stefania Pomponi Butler, City Mama
Lydia Walshin, The Perfect Pantry and Drop In and Decorate
Alana Kellogg, Kitchen Parade and A Veggie Venture
Jaden Hair, Steamy Kitchen
Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes

I enjoyed this conference so very much, and if I had a choice between attending the full BlogHer conference or BlogHer Food, I'd choose the smaller focus of the Food. While I always have a complete ball at the full conference, I really liked the smaller feel at Saturday's event.

I get overwhelmed easily.

There has been a bit of buzz throughout the blogosphere about lunch. Lunch was sponsored by Bertolli, and the wine served was from one of my favorite wineries: St. Supery. I was invited to an event Friday night at St. Supery winery, and although I originally RSVPd yes, I chickened out due to 1) being pregnant and 2) not wanting to stay out late (probably had lots to do with number 1!)
Adam and I served St. Supery's Sauvignon Blanc at our wedding, and I routinely give St. Supery as a gift. It's a great wine, a great price, and it's local.

As for the food, I didn't have it, because I ate the gluten free option, which was a fabulous risotto.
Which you can make in the slow cooker!

Traditional Risotto
Corn Risotto
Breakfast Risotto

Thank you to Lisa, Elisa, and Jory for this wonderful event. I'm looking forward to next year!

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:49:00 +0000

This is an easy copy-cat (or sort of copy-cat) of Julia Child's famous Beef Bourguignon. I cut the butter completely, and simplified the spices, but the flavor is all there.

And, I have STILL not seen the Julie and Julia movie. I was all set to go with a group of friends, but then got another wave of all-day-I don't-know-why-they-call-it-morning-sickness and found myself glued to the couch on our planned night out. And then school started, and soccer started, and PTA started, and life got a bit complicated.

I will see it, though. I promise.

The Ingredients.
serves 6

3 pounds beef roast, or beef stew meat (I used a chuck roast I had in the freezer)
6 slices bacon--no need to cook (I used turkey)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced in rings
1 cup carrots (chopped or baby, your choice)
4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 tablespoon herbs de provence (here's a recipe to make your own)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste (not pictured, oops!)
2 cups red wine (you can use non-alcoholic if you wish)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. In the bottom of your stoneware, smear around the olive oil. Then lay down 3 slices of bacon. Add sliced onion and garlic. Put the meat into the pot on top of the onion and garlic, and sprinkle on dried spices and herbs. Toss the meat to distribute the spices to all sides. Add tomato paste. Lay the other 3 slices of bacon on top of the meat, and throw in the carrots. Pour wine over the whole thing.

Cover and let cook on low for 8-9 hours, high for 4-5, or until meat has reached desired tenderness. If you are using a roast, you may want to flip the meat about an hour before serving so more liquid is absorbed into the meat. You can also cut the meat into chunks and return to the pot, if you would like more moisture to absorb.

Serve with whipped mashed potatoes, and a ladle full of crock juices.

mmm.

The Verdict.

We all really liked this a lot. The kids weren't crazy about the carrots, because they took on the wine flavor and were a bit tart, but Adam and I loved them like that. The meat had lots of flavor, and I was quite pleased with the amount of juice left in the slow cooker---it made an excellent gravy. I didn't try to thicken it up on the stove top with cornstarch or flour, but if you enjoy making gravy, I'd imagine it would be wonderful.

This is a company-worthy meal.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:17:00 +0000

I was talking to my grandma the other day, and she mentioned that my brother had brought her and grandpa orange chicken from Panda Express.

and that was it. I needed some.

I've made lemon chicken a few times in the slow cooker, and was impressed with the results. I tested out the same recipe with orange juice instead of lemonade, and guess what? Instant orange sauce, without ingesting tons of deep-fried grease or a drop of gluten. Yay!

The Ingredients.

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup flour (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
olive oil, for browning the chicken
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (I'd opt for little-to-no pulp. The pulp can taste a bit bitter when cooked)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup

updated 9/20/09: I've heard from a few readers that 1 tablespoon of salt is too much. If you are using iodized or table salt, this will be the case. Kosher salt doesn't taste as "salty" as regular salt, and since the granules are larger, you don't get as much in the tablespoon as you would with regular salt. Adjust accordingly. xoxo steph

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart slow cooker for best results. Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour, and shake off the excess. Go ahead and throw away any remaining flour, we won't need it. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove and brown the chicken on all sides. There is no need to fully cook it, just sear it enough for the flour to stick and get a nice coating.

Plop the chicken pieces into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Taste. If you'd like the chicken to be a bit sweeter, add a touch more sugar. Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and toss gingerly to coat.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve over white or brown rice.

The Verdict.

Delicious. All four of us had seconds. Like I did with the lemon chicken, I sprinkled some red pepper flakes onto my portion, because I like a bit of heat. Everyone else at the table ate it as-is, and was quite happy.

other great take out fake out dishes:
Mongolian Beef
Broccoli Beef
Chow Mein
Fried Rice
and for dessert: super soft gluten free sugar cookies

Adapting Slow-Cooker Meals for Your Family

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:41:00 +0000

We are officially Back to School---it started Monday. I've mentioned before that I am a meal planner, and the fall brings out a plethora of good intentions to eat wholesome family meals together each night, and share highlights of the day.

This year was no different. I had my menu planned out, and a shopping list ready to go.

But. This year I'm pregnant (baby girl #3!), and I have a new kindergartner. Which means that instead of going to the store while both girls were in school, I disinfected the blinds (that's totally normal... right?) and instead of going right after kindergarten let out, we both fell asleep on the couch during Arthur.

I may have even drooled a bit.

And all of a sudden it was time to get my third grader who had "so much homework, mom," and the store couldn't happen. So I made do. This is a variation of the Autumn Sausage Casserole that I made last year, but made with ingredients I had in the house. Other than the spices, the ingredients were all different.

But it still worked. Hopefully, this will provide 1) inspiration to re-purpose leftovers, and 2) encouragement to fool around with recipes/ingredients to suit your own family. If you don't like something listed in a particular recipe or don't have the ingredient in the house, tweak it! Cooking should be fun. When it isn't, that's when the pizza guy stops by, resulting in a tummy full of grease and a $30 bill.

The Ingredients.
adapted from Slow Cooker Autumn Sausage Casserole
serves 6

1 pound cooked meat. I used leftover teriyaki chicken and steak from the weekend barbecue, and about 15 meatballs (Coleman Natural, they're gluten free!)
3 cups already-cooked and somewhat crunchy brown rice (from 4 days ago)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 box Hannah Montana cinnamon apples and raisins
1/2 apple, chopped, leftover from breakfast
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 cup frozen peas
1 handful wilted baby spinach
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (decreased from 1/2 tsp because of the seasoned apples and raisins)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth

The Directions.

Use at least a 4 quart slow cooker. I used a 5.5 quart. Because there isn't much liquid in this dish, it's best to cook on low (unless you're using sausage. The sausage provides the right amount of oil and moisture, and cooking on high would work just fine if need-be). The only thing that needs to soften and cook is the raw onion. If you don't have at least 5 hours, pan fry the onion in some olive oil until it is soft and translucent.

Otherwise, toss everything into the slow cooker, and stir well to distribute the spices. Cook on low for 3-6 hours. If you're home to do so, stir an hour before serving.

The Verdict.

Last year we declared around the dinner table that this was just like eating a bowl full of fall. I'd agree. This has a wonderful homey flavor, and is kind of addicting. Adam and I kept sneaking spoonfuls out of the crock while we were doing the dishes. 3 out of the 4 of us had seconds. The other one had very little, declared she wasn't hungry, then asked for a peanut butter and honey sandwich 30 minutes later.

I think my head may have exploded. I'm not sure.

Happy September!
edited 9/7: Rachael used her slow cooker every day for a month, and logged her fantastic results!

other dishes you may like:
Maple Dijon Chicken
Azorean Spiced Beef Stew
Ropa Vieja
Sausage and Vegetable Medley
Meal Planning with the Slow Cooker

End of Summer Harvest Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:04:00 +0000

This is a great soup to put on in the early morning, and let it simmer all day long---it took 9 hours on low for my beans to get tender, and I liked it even more 3 hours later when the beans finally split and the zucchini turned translucent.

The flavors are hearty and rich, but this is still light enough to eat with a beautiful garden salad out in the yard.

The Ingredients.
serves 8

4 cups chicken broth (vegetable stock is fine!)
1 cup prepared pasta sauce
1 cup water
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 zucchini, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 yellow summer squash, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup dry white Cannellini beans (this doesn't sound like a lot, but they swell!)
1/2 cup pasta (to add 20 minutes before serving)
salt and pepper to taste
garnish with Parmesan and Romano cheeses

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker. Wash squashes well, and slice in rounds. Place into slow cooker, with diced onion and tomato wedges. Rinse your beans in hot water, and add to cooker. Add broth, pasta sauce, and water. Stir in Italian seasoning.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans have reached desired tenderness. 20 minutes before serving, stir in raw pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan and Romano cheese.

The Verdict.

Delicious. I loved how the tomatoes burst completely while slow cooked, and how the squash practically disappeared, so there was no need to chew it---the squash provided an awesome texture and flavor, and since it was so translucent, the kids ate it without fuss. I liked how the prepared pasta sauce gave the broth an oomph sometimes missing in homemade soups, and provided a rich color.
We had salad and homemade garlic bread sticks with our meal (bread sticks made from Pamela's Amazing Wheat-Free bread mix).

One more week until school starts! (I'm kind of excited. shhhhh.)

Frequently Asked "A Year of Slow Cooking" Questions, Part II

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:13:00 +0000

I've gotten a slew of related questions the past few months, and while I absolutely LOVE answering questions (I really do, don't read this with sarcasm. The idea of actually helping real, breathing people in any way I can is exhilarating---please don't ever feel like you're bugging me with any of your questions. I promise if you're asking, somebody else already has. :-) ) I figured it might be helpful to round up some of the recent most frequently asked.

Part I of Frequently Asked A Year of Slow Cooking Questions is located here.

1) How do you keep your slow cookers clean? I use Adam. HA! No, really, Adam is pretty much the slow cooker washer guy. He's an expert you know, one of his first jobs was washing dishes in the kitchen at the local hospital.

For the most part, I'd suggest emptying the stoneware as soon as you can. If you have leftover food, scrape it into a tupperware or some other sort of storage container. This isn't mandatory, you can certainly store the food safely in the fridge in the stoneware, but it is NOT recommended to reheat in the stoneware in the crock for leftovers, so you might as well clean it out on day 1.

If you have baked on gook, the absolute best way to get it off without ruining your manicure (HA! on the manicure. Although you can get a pretty nice pedicure...) is to fill the stoneware insert with hot water and add a tablespoon of dishwasher powder. Then float a fabric (dryer) softener sheet in the water and let it soak overnight. Then wash in the dishwasher, or by hand in the morning as usual. If you do not have the dryer sheets, a gollop of liquid fabric softener will do the trick, too.

DO NOT ever put a hot stoneware into your sink and fill it with cold water. It will crack. And then you'll be super sad.

edited to add, 7:29 pm: Thanks to Garret for reminding me about the disposable slow cooker liners! I haven't personally used them, but keep meaning to. I've heard wonderful things about them, and would imagine them to be absolutely fabulous for use at a potluck, when all you want to do at the end of the night is hit the hay. You can also spray a non-stick cooking spray on the stoneware before loading in the ingredients to ease clean-up.

As for the slow cooker base with the heating element, do NOT fill it with water, ever. Make sure to read the pamphlet that comes with your particular slow cooker for the manufacturer's suggested cleaning technique, but what I do is use a very slightly damp paper towel to wipe out any dribbles or a clorox wipe (I puffy heart love clorox wipes).

2) What's the difference between a Crock-Pot and a Slow Cooker? Nothing. Crock-Pot is a brand name of the first type of slow cooker, formally under the Rival label. There actually isn't such thing as a "crockpot"----although many people do call their slow cooker a "crockpot." There are many manufacturers of slow cookers on the market, and while I happen to use Crock-Pot slow cookers, I have heard from countless people how in love they are with their Hamilton Beach, Cuisinart, All Clad, etc. If you are in the market for a new slow cooker, I'd recommend reading the reviews on Amazon; I have not tested out the different makes and models personally.

3) What size slow cooker should I buy? It depends on what you are interested in cooking, and your family size. Slow cookers work the best when they are 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. The recipe times are for this amount of food---if your pot isn't full enough, the food will cook faster and might burn. If it's a bit too full, your food will take longer to cook than the suggested cooking times.

Before my year-long challenge, I had 2 slow cookers that I used for everything: a 5.5-quart Smart Pot and a 1.5 quart mini crock I got at a Black Friday sale at Walmart for $4.95 (score!) These pots served my family of 4 quite well until I started this challenge.

For a family of 2-3, buy a 2-4-quart

For a family of 3-5, a 5-6-quart

For a large family, or for entertaining groups of people, opt for a 7-8 quart slow cooker

I adore my Little Dipper, and use it quite often for dips, fondues, and even as an air freshener!

4) What if I only have a huge slow cooker? Can I still make recipes that call for a smaller size? Yes. It's super easy. Simply insert an oven-safe dish (Pyrex, Corningware, etc.) into your large stoneware, and load the ingredients into the dish. This will create a smaller cooking vessel inside of your slow cooker. Then cover and cook like normal. It will take a bit longer for the dish inside to get up to temperature, but your food will cook just fine.

If you are cooking a dish (chicken, for instance, which has the tendency to dry out) and the recipes calls for a 4 quart, but you only have a 6 quart (this is an example...) put the ingredients into your slow cooker, then put a layer of foil or parchment paper down near the food to help trap in the steam and moisture near the food. Then cover and cook like normal. This is also a big help if your slow cooker has one of those super helpful (now this is sarcasm..) "vent" holes in the lid or in the side of the stoneware insert. PLEASE BE CAREFUL when removing the foil or parchment paper at the end of the cooking time. The steam will be quite hot and will shoot out. Keep small children far away.

5) Are all of your recipes gluten free? What about the ones in the book? Yes. We happen to be a gluten free family, because my 4 year old has been diagnosed with Celiac, which is an intolerance to gluten (found in wheat, barley, and rye). The book is completely gluten-free, and all the recipes on this site have been made gluten-free. PLEASE! read all labels carefully on your own, because manufacturers are known to sometimes change ingredients with little-to-no warning.

If you are not gluten-free, simply ignore my notes and use the ingredients you normally would use when cooking for your family.

Want more info on going gluten free? I wrote about our journey a bit, here, and there are links at the bottom that will be helpful.

6) Do you peek while slow cooking? Yes. I am not the best at following rules, and I often taste, stir, and poke at my food while it's in the slow cooker. I've heard from reliable sources that you can lose up to 20 minutes of valuable cooking time each time you peek, but I have not noticed that to be the case. Peeking and tasting makes me feel like I'm doing something, and it makes me happy. I like being happy.

That said, if you are baking with your slow cooker, or are making a layered casserole such as lasagna or tamale pie, try not to peek until the very end of the cooking time, so moisture doesn't escape. And DO NOT peek on the yogurt recipe---keep the valuable heat inside.

7) How come you aren't posting every day anymore? Because my year-long challenge is over! I'm currently slow-cooking baby number three, and am working on some other freelancing commitments, along with trying my hardest to give my children more of me than they got last year. I am still completely infatuated with my slow cookers and use them VERY regularly. I'd be absolutely lost without them.

8) Have you seen Julie & Julia? Not yet! It looks like a group of my friends will go together next week. I can't wait.

I hope this helps, some! If you have other questions, let me have 'em in the comment section. xoxo steph

Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Layered Dinner

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:25:00 +0000

We're home from BlogHer, safe and sound. We had an absolute ball---thank you so much for your well wishes. The live blogging transcript of the Food Blogging During a Recession is here, thanks to Chefdruck Musings. I wrote a tiny bit about our trip on Totally Together Journal, and Alanna did a Food Blogger recap on BlogHer.

On the plane ride home, I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and now I want to move to a sustainable farm. Like, NOW. Take me. Teach me. I want to know more! For the time being, we're going to hit up our local produce stand, farmer's market, and look into CSA delivery. I can't wait to learn as much as I can about growing vegetables, and want the kids to grow up knowing where food comes from.

On that note, I made a completely organic (except for the chicken, because it was Foster Farms and already in the freezer and I'm a die-hard cheapskate and couldn't not eat it) dinner. In the slow cooker. Slow cooking is known for fast, friendly meals, but that doesn't mean that the food needs to be processed or not healthy. I've made TONS of healthy food in the slow cooker, and you can too.

once in a while, Buffalo Chicken Wing soup is okay, though. right...?

The Ingredients.
serves 4.

for the pesto:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
4 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh basil
2 tablespoons pinenuts, or walnuts, or sunflower seeds
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

4 chicken thighs, or breast halves
sliced mozzarella cheese (I used string cheese!)
aluminum foil or parchment paper
4 small sweet potatoes, washed well, skin on

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart slow cooker. In a food processor or blender, combine the ingredients for your pesto. When liquidy, taste. If you need to add more citrus or salt or pepper, do so now.

In the bottom of a large slow cooker, arrange your chicken pieces. Mine were still frozen. Layer on slices of mozzarella cheese. Pour pesto evenly on top. Cover with a layer of foil or parchment paper. Scrub sweet potatoes well, prick with a fork, and lay them on top of the paper or foil. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. If your chicken is frozen it will take a bit longer.

If you're using fresh chicken, and your sweet potatoes are quite large, you may choose to swap layers, and put the sweet potatoes on the bottom. Newer slow cookers cook from the sides as well as from the bottom, but some people swear the stuff on the bottom cooks faster.

Carefully remove the sweet potatoes with tongs, and remove foil or parchment. The steam that comes out will be quite hot, keep small children away.

The Verdict.

We all loved this meal. My kids put cinnamon on their sweet potatoes, and enjoyed eating the skin--for the first time. I was thrilled. The chicken was fully cooked, and the pesto had a good bite from the garlic that was balanced by the citrus. I used limes instead of lemons, and enjoyed the limey flavor. Lots of pesto calls for gobs of Parmesean cheese, which I opted to not use to 1) keep it a bit lighter and 2) to save a trip to the store. I served it alongside some leftover Quinoa Salad from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

This was a great dinner.

somewhat related recipes:

Layered Dinner
Use your Slow Cooker as a Smoker
Cedar Planked Salmon
Chicken Adobo
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chili, Lime, and Cumin

Slow Cooking During a Recession

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:33:00 +0000

I'm hopping on a plane in a little bit to head to Chicago for the 5th annual BlogHer conference, where I'll be speaking on the "Food Blogging During a Recession" panel. I look forward to reconnecting with the talented women behind Simply Recipes, and Lunch in a Box, and meeting those behind Show Me the Curry, and Wine Girl.

I'm both excited and nervous. I'm excited to be going to another BlogHer conference---my first was last year, and I had a ball. I had more fun in 3 days at that conference than I had in all 5 years of college.

I'm nervous to leave the kids for so long. I'm not nervous for them---they'll have an absolute ball with my parents, I'm nervous about being so far away and missing them. Dreadfully.

hang on, I need to blow my nose.

I'm excited that Adam is coming with me. We haven't gone away alone for about 6 years. I love that Adam has agreed to share his birthday and our 10-year anniversary with 1500 women bloggers.

I'm nervous about flying. Super nervous.

I really shouldn't talk about it, or I'll hyperventilate.

I'm also kind of nervous to be around so many people, who all seem to know each other. I'm a fairly new blogger, and I definitely get butterflies in my stomach at blogging events.

I'm thrilled to be speaking on the Food Blogging panel, but I feel a bit like I'm cheating since it's about Food Blogging During a Recession. Slow Cooking is pretty much built for recession (I hate that word) eating.

I first started slow cooking as a newlywed to save time and money. I loved it that I could throw in some forgotten and frostbitten meat with a jar of pasta sauce and come home to a tasty meal with literally no work on my end. I love how you can save SO MUCH MONEY through slow cooking. It does take a bit of beforehand planning, I know, but the reward of not slitting your wrists at the end of the week is well worth it.

I've shared in the past that I didn't save any money last year with my year-long slow-cooking challenge. We knew that I would spend more money on groceries and planned accordingly. I'm so glad that last year was last year, because I'd have a hard time justifying the spices I bought last year and the duck and the haggis parts this year. It would just be wasteful.

Here are the top 10 ways that you can save money right this minute by slow cooking:

1) Plan your meals. Seriously. Take the time on Sunday night to plan your meals out. Many people do red meat on Monday, chicken on Tuesday, leftovers Wednesday, vegetarian on Thursday, and fish on Friday. It's up to you if you plan for the weekend days. We seem to always be out of the house for at least one of the weekend evenings, but I still try to have an idea for a dinner so we're not reaching for the take-out menus.

2) Use dried beans. They are filling, nutritious, freeze well, and are CHEAP.

3) Make your own yogurt. Yup, in the slow cooker. It totally works.

4) Make your own granola. Granola is wickedly expensive, and can be laden with preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

5) Make your own baby food. This is so easy, and really makes a whole lot of sense. The little jars are bad for the environment and your wallet.

6) Make your own take-out. In my book (have I mentioned the book? It's oh so pretty, and frugally priced, I might add) I have a chapter I've entitled Take Out Fake Out.

here are some of my absolute favorites:

Mongolian Beef
Lemon Chicken
Pho
Thai Curry
Indian Curry
Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)
Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Fried Rice
Chow Mein (this is SO SO SO good! great, now I want this. Now. have I mentioned I'm pregnant?)
Gyros
Tamales
Philly Cheesesteaks

7) Cook the lazy way.

8) Re-purpose leftovers. Cook a Rotisserie-Style Chicken. Then make Barbecue Chicken and Cornbread Casserole the next night. Then make broth. Then make Clean-out-the-Pantry Minestrone Soup, or Chicken Noodle Soup.

9) Stretch your wine budget by making mulled wine.

10) If you, or someone you love, has allergies, cooking from scratch is a necessity to ensure that you have safe food. There is no easier way to cook than to slow cook. I'm a complete fool in the kitchen, yet I can work a slow cooker. You can too.

For further reading:
Save Money By Using Your Slow Cooker
Meal Planning with the Slow Cooker
Frequently Asked "A Year of Slow Cooking Questions"
Alphabetical Listing of All Recipes

There are so many other great ways to save money through slow cooking, and I'd love to hear other great ideas---feel free to leave as many as you'd like in the comments, or a link to your favorite budget-friendly recipe.

If you're headed to Chicago for the conference, please come by the Food Blogging During a Recession Panel and say Hi! I look forward to meeting new people, and reconnecting with those I met last year.

Please Help Bring Gluten-Free Cake Back to Starbucks

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:51:00 +0000

A few months ago, I first heard that Starbucks was going to *finally* offer a gluten-free option for those with gluten intolerance. They created a moist orange cake that was individually wrapped and available behind the counters at at all stores (or at least all of the stores that I went in to).

They have decided to discontinue this cake. I don't know what the plans are----if they're tweaking the recipe to make it taste better (quite honestly, it had a bit too much orange zest for my liking), or if they are discontinuing it all together due to lack of sales.

If the lack of sales is a problem, there is a simple solution. Keep some in the freezer, ready to go for your customers! That's what gluten-free people do, anyhow. My freezer is stocked with bakery goods ready to go.

If you can, please take the time to include your name on this petition, started by Triumph Dining Cards to show your support in bringing back a gluten-free option for Starbucks patrons. The goal is to get more than 5k signatures, which is pretty-low ball to me. I say we go for 25k. Please click over from your feedburner and sign. You will need to enter your email address, and then confirm your "signature" in an automatic email. There is an option where your name will not be shared that you can check.

Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for your help and your support. There is nothing more devastating than to be starving and not have ONE thing to eat in an entire coffee house. I burst into tears when I brought my 4-year-old her first Starbucks cake, all wrapped up, and she got so excited that she could eat it, she jumped up and down. Eating a snack shouldn't be so hard.

Bring Back the Gluten-Free Coffee Cake petition.

If you have a blog or your own website or email/twitter list, please repost this if you can, to help get the word out.

for further reading: Please Bring Back Gluten-Free Cake to Starbucks, or perhaps maybe something allergen-free?, BlogHer.com

xoxo steph

Herb Roasted Chicken with Summer Tomatoes Slow Cooker Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:31:00 +0000

I made a whole chicken yesterday in the slow cooker, and it turned out really well. We had some tomatoes that needed to get used up before they turned into pasta sauce, and I threw them on top of the bird while it slow-cooked. I loved the end result: a moist, flavorful chicken with gooey packed-with-flavor tomatoes. For an added bonus, you can save the crock drippings to make steamed rice.

The best rice in the history of the universe.

The Ingredients.

4 pounds chicken, whole or parts, your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons herbes de provence (fancy!)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 vine-ripened tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine (you could use apple juice)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine dry spices and set aside. Wash chicken, remove neck and giblets, and try to cut off as much skin as you can using poultry shears. If the chicken is fully thawed, this is much easier to do. Rub the seasoning mixture on all sides of the bird, inside and out and place into your stoneware. I chose to put the chicken breast-side down, to keep it extra moist.
Wash and cut the stemmy part out of each tomato, and plop on top. Pour the white wine in, and cover the slow cooker. Cook on low for about 7 hours, or on high for 4-5. Carefully remove the bird from the pot, and retain the drippings to make a pot of steamed rice.

The Verdict.

I loved this meal. The chicken was cooked perfectly (I did 2 hours on high, 3 hours on low, and then it sat on warm for another hour) and the tomatoes were amazing. I am so glad to have made rice out of the pan drippings----it was a delicious side.

The kids ate their chicken dipped in barbecue sauce, because that's what makes them happy, and weren't overly pleased with the seasoned rice, but did eat it.

Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:16:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! We had a lovely weekend away at my father-in-law's cabin---it was very relaxing. Now we're home in the real world where there is laundry to fold, floors to mop, and dinner to prepare.

Although summer is prime grilling time, I really like to plug in the slow cooker for hassle-free side dishes on the nights we grill. I made cowboy beans last week, and although we ended up eating them as a main course, they would taste fantastic alongside a barbecued burger, steak, or chicken leg.

We don't have a fancy tent-trailer thing for camping, but if we did, we'd definitely bring the slow cooker along the way Mir does for a lovely pot of beans at the end of a packed day of hiking and fishing.

The difference between Cowboy Beans and a traditional chili is the twangy flavor that comes from the Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. The more you add, the twangier it becomes. mmm.

The Ingredients.

1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (optional)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins, made in the USA is gluten free)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-ounce) can Rotel, or traditional chopped tomatoes, your choice
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
7 cups water
sliced jalapenos, optional

The Directions.

Serves 8-10 as a side dish, or 5 as a main course. Sort pinto beans, and soak overnight in lots of fresh water. If you live in a climate where the house gets terribly hot overnight, put the beans in the refrigerator to soak to keep icky bacteria from accumulating.

In the morning, drain your beans, and pick out any that have split open, or look discolored and shrively.

Pour into a 6 quart slow cooker. Brown hamburger and onion on the stove, and drain fat. While the meat is cooking, add the rest of the ingredients into your slow cooker. Start with 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Add the meat, and top with 7 cups of fresh water. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for about 6. My beans took 6 hours on high to tenderize, and then they sat on warm for another 3 hours. We're at sea level. If you live in a higher altitude, your beans will take longer to soften.

Taste the beans. If you'd like your beans to have more of a tang, add some more Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Top with sliced jalapenos, if desired.

The Verdict.

We all liked these beans a lot. I did add a bit more Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar, and the tang was pleasantly pronounced. I also liked how the Worcestershire sauce added a dark color to the broth. The kids doctored their bowls with lots of shredded cheese and sour cream. I had a bowl for lunch the next day alongside an In N' Out cheeseburger. It was a wonderful meal.
I get a kick at how the white dots on pinto beans completely disappear after cooking. You can't even find one!

if you'd like some more slow cooker side dishes for your next cookout:

corn on the cob
creamed corn
baked potatoes
sweet potatoes with chili, cumin, and lime
Boston baked beans

What I've Been Slow Cooking

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:19:00 +0000

I have been slow cooking.

Daily.

Baby #3 is due to arrive this upcoming January, and we all couldn't be more thrilled.

Now that the all-day-every-single-day-why-won't-it-let-up-seriously-why-won't-it sickness has practically subsided life can get back to normal around here.

I should have put the word normal in quotes.

Make it Fast, Cook it Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Make it Fast, Cook it Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking contains 338 tried-and-true slow cooker recipes.

The book is the best of the best of my "Year of Slow Cooking"----these are recipes that have been tested in my own home kitchen using my own slow cookers, and have been tasted by my own (sometimes picky) family. The recipes have also been tested by home cooks from around the world, with their notes and results documented under each recipe on the website.

The book is set up the same way as the blog, with detailed instructions and a short "verdict." To keep the price of the book down, and to include as many recipes as possible, I have opted to not include photos.

I don't like cooking before I cook, and prefer to not brown meat on the stove top before throwing it into the pot. Many people prefer to pre-brown meat---they like the color and texture this step provides. Whether or not you pre-brown meat is a personal choice, and unless I've specifically included pre-browning in the instructions, assume that the meat has gone in raw (sometimes frozen!) and undoctored.

We are a gluten free family. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Oats are off limits, too, unless they are from a specified gluten-free source. Everything in the book has been made completely gluten-free. If you do not need to worry about gluten, feel free to ignore my notes or file them away in case you ever need to cook for someone with a gluten intolerance. As always, read labels carefully on your own since manufacturers have been known to switch ingredients without notice.

If you'd like to learn more about going gluten free, I recommend the following websites:
Sure Foods Living
Gluten Free Easily
The W.H.O.L.E. Gang (whole healthy organic living everyday)
Karina's Kitchen, Recipes from a Gluten Free Goddess
Elana's Pantry

Because we live with allergies, and because I'm a crazy Californian, I try to balance the amount of fat, sodium, and processed foods our family ingests. I'm certainly not a purist, and definitely enjoy a good dose of Velveeta now and then, but the recipes I've included in this book are not your typical "cover with cream-of-whatever soup" slow cooker fare.

Thank you so much for your support, it means so very much.

Any questions? Email me directly at crockpotlady AT gmail DOT com.

xoxo steph

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:09:00 +0000

During my call for recipes, I got emails from Jennifer, Jenny, Jenny Y., Julie, and Charlotte asking if I had made a baked potato soup in the slow cooker. I had not. I did make a potato-leek soup last year, but that's not really the same thing. It's definitely healthier, though!

Panera bakery evidently has a very good baked potato soup, but I've never stepped foot into a Panera, so I hadn't had their soup as a reference. So I googled it, and found a copycat recipe on RecipeZaar and adapted it to fit our family.

We all really liked this soup---the kids ate a ton, and we have a bunch leftover. I made a big batch so we'd have leftovers in the freezer. I'd guess this serves 10.

The Ingredients.

--5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
--1 teeny onion, diced
--4 cloves garlic, minced
--1 teaspoon seasoned salt
--1/2 teaspoon black pepper
--1/2 teaspoon red pepper
--2 quarts chicken broth
--2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, to add at the end
--crumbled bacon and green onion or chives as garnish (optional)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the stoneware. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender. I suppose you can also leave the potatoes in chunks, if you really wanted, but I wanted a smooth soup.

After smashing the potatoes, crumble in both packages of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and I'd assume cheddar cheese would be just delightful.

The Verdict.

When I first started hanging out on the internet, I was surprised at how much bacon talk there was. Everywhere I turned (clicked), it seemed there was somebody else going on and on and on some more about their love for bacon. Since I don't eat pork, I really didn't get it, and just figured it was a weird internet thing.

But yesterday I figured out the secret to really good turkey bacon. Fry it in a ton of butter. Now I think I might sort of get it. Although I'm not terribly pleased with how messy it is....

anyhow, this is a fantastic soup, and the bacon on top really seals the deal. My kids both ate a bowl when it was first finished around 4pm, and another later in the evening.

We're going to have BLT's with the leftover bacon for lunch. or maybe breakfast. I'm excited.

other great soups:

Jamaican Pumpkin
Thai Coconut
Corn Chowder
Harvest Stew
French Onion

Slow Cooker Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:01:00 +0000

Sharon emailed me last week and said that she had a hanker'n for some Turkey Tetrazzini a la Slow Cooker. I didn't know that I had a hanker'n until I read her email and the recipes she linked for me to look at.
But I did. I seemed to have had a hanker'n. She sent links to Epicurious, AllRecipes, and Food Network.

After reading through the recipes, I wrote one of my own to work with the slow cooker. It worked, eventually. I at first didn't include enough pasta, so my tetrazzini was more like wallpaper paste than a creamy pasta dish. This was easily fixed, however, and the end result was a nice comforting meal we enjoyed on an unseasonably chilly night.

Thank you, Sharon!

The Ingredients.

1 (16-ounce package) dry spaghetti noodles (maybe divided. Please read the entire recipe and decide for yourself how you'd like to proceed!) I used brown rice noodles from TJ's.
1-2 pounds turkey breast tenders, cut in small chunks
5 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, diced
1 (14.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, chunked
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups chicken broth (check for gluten!)
salt to taste at the table

The Directions.

Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker, and spray the inside well with cooking spray.

What I did: I initially used a half-package of spaghetti noodles, and broke them in half, and laid them on the bottom of the stoneware. I then layered the other ingredients on top, in the order I typed up above. But! after cooking on low for 3 hours, I noticed that the noodles pretty much disappeared, so I cooked the remainder of the package on the stovetop in heavily salted water (super-heavily salted, the top of the container fell off!) until barely al dente, then stirred the drained pasta into the slow cooker.

I then cooked on low for only one more hour, then clicked it to warm for another 3. The turkey was fully cooked, the noodles were perfect, but the onion that I didn't cut fine enough had still a bit of a crunch.

The Verdict.

So. My dilemma is in deciding if it would have been better to put the entire package of pasta into the machine and then layer the ingredients in and cook on low for 3-5 hours (not high!) or if it is better to leave all the pasta out, and just cook it on the stove, then mix it in.
Or, do what I did.
I just don't know.

I do know that this worked, but it certainly wasn't a very hands-off meal. And we ate it, even the leftovers for lunch the next day (the onion was soft by then!)

other pasta dishes that work well:

traditional lasagna
buffalo chicken lasagna
macaroni and cheese
ziti

Sweet Potato Chili (vegan!) Slow Cooker Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:08:00 +0000

I made a *darn* good chili last week, if I do say so myself (and I do. So does the rest of the family, including my parents). I had a few sweet potatoes left in the house and I desperately wanted to make up for the absolute fiasco that took place when I threw together that icky chicken and sweet potato I-don't-know-what-I-was-thinking dish.

This was much better. So much better, I demonstrated it on BlogHer's new webShow, The Juice. You can see the video by clicking here.

This is a cheap, vegan meal that doesn't leave you hungry 15 minutes later. I promise.

The Ingredients.

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and in 2-inch chunks
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 2/3 cup dried beans, soaked overnight and boiled briskly for 10 minutes because of the freaky red bean toxin thing)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes (whatever's on sale, mine had oregano and roasted garlic)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice (not pictured. If you don't have any in the house, use water)

The Directions.

Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker. This is enough food to feed a family of 4 regular-sized, or 6 smallish people. Peel and chunk the sweet potato and add to the pot. Add diced onion. Follow with the red bell pepper, can of tomatoes, the beans, garlic, and seasonings. Pour in OJ and water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the onion is translucent and the sweet potato is fork-tender (if you want the sweet potato to get really squishy and disappear when stirred, cook longer).

The Verdict.

Super tasty. I loved the sweet smoky flavor this had, and was thrilled at the depth of flavor that came from this spice combination. The sweet potato and beans were plenty filling, and Adam didn't once mumble that he'd really like a steak. My kids ate it, but un-veganized it by adding shredded cheese and sour cream.
I will definitely make this again. Thank you so much to BlogHer and to Tropicana for the fun day of filming for The Juice production. I had an absolute ball, and am touched to have been included. Thank you.

other great chili dishes:

traditional chili
poor man's chili
clean-out-the-pantry chili
white chili
presidential (Barack Obama's) chili

Slow Cooker Asian Shredded Beef Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Thank you so much for responding to my Call for Recipes with so many wonderful choices! I've spent the last week reading them all and finding ways to incorporate many into our upcoming meal plans. This meal comes from Christin who got it from Cooking Light's 2007 list of annual recipes. It originally was made with pork, and called for sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger. I thought we had sesame oil in the house, but I must have tossed it during the last refrigerator-clean-out and didn't feel like spending the time mincing garlic or ginger, and opted to use powdered garlic and upped the Chinese 5 spice powder to make up for the ginger. I also added a bit more honey (because we like it!)

I also used a 4 pound roast, and Cooking Light used a 2-3 pound roast. We really liked the results. Thank you, Christin!

The Ingredients.

4 pounds boneless beef or pork roast
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce
1/2 cup gluten free hoisin sauce
6 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder (or 6 cloves, minced)

The Directions.

Use a 5 quart slow cooker. Trim any visible fat from the meat, and plop it into your stoneware. My meat was fresh, but it's okay if your meat is still frozen. Sprinkle the dried spices directly onto the meat, and top with the ketchup and honey. Pour in the soy and hoisin sauces. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. You may need to take the meat out and cut in chunks after 8 hours, then turn to high for an hour or so to get it to shred nicely (I did this).

Serve over white or brown basmati rice, or over shredded cabbage. I used the cabbage, and we all liked it. The cabbage provided a bit of a crunch at first, but then got warm and soggy with the sauce. I liked it better when it was soggy---if I was making this just for myself, I'd pour the bag of cabbage into the pot to get it wilty, but the rest of the family prefers the crunch.

The Verdict.

We all really liked this meal. The kids ate a ton of the beef, and continued to eat cold pieces later in the night after dinner. This makes a lot of food--we've got about half leftover that I'm looking forward to eating for lunch during the holiday weekend. The meat reminded me A LOT of mu-shu beef---I'd imagine it would be delicious wrapped in the little pancakes with some plum sauce (although Adam quickly pointed out that I haven't had Mu-Shu anything for about 6 years, so I could be way off base. I still think it'd be good wrapped in those pancakes...).

The original name that Cooking Light gave the meat was Char Siu, which means barbecued meat (usually pork). The meat didn't taste like it had a barbecued flavor to me, but instead was slightly sweet and tangy. I'd love to throw in some hot peppers next time to give a bit of heat.

Thank you again, Christin, and to all who submitted recipes. I'm excited!

other great Asian-inspired meat dishes:

Korean Ribs
Mongolian Beef
Thai Curry
Lamb Vindaloo
Broccoli Beef
Peking Duck

Call for Recipes!

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:46:00 +0000

Okay, I need help. Or inspiration. Or something.

I'm cooking, but I haven't been posting because I haven't really made anything new in a while. In the past week we've had:

Indian Curry (yum!)
McCain's Ribs (which we've started calling Lemon Pepper Ribs)
Lemon and Dill Salmon
lots of leftover chicken noodle soup
and brown sugar chicken. AGAIN.

I am seriously in a slump. I can't come up with anything new! and exciting! to make, post, and share.

any ideas?
can you make mozzarella cheese in the crockpot?
what about some kind of slime?

meanwhile, I did post today on the other blog about our gluten free journey, and a few thoughts on the the new Elisabeth Hasselbeck book, The G-Free Diet. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

crockpotlady@gmail.com (Stephanie O'Dea) — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:01:00 +0000

I sat down at the computer and tried to write this post about 47 times in the last few days. Sorry to leave the icky chicken and sweet potato fiasco up for so long!

I made some yummy soup the other night that the kids adored and they each had THIRDS.

DID YOU HEAR ME?!

THIRDS!

I think my head may have exploded.

The Ingredients.

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken carcass, or 1 1/2 cups already cooked chicken meat
6 cups water
1 or 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (check for gluten, this was clearly labeled gluten free)
1 cup broccoli florets
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
kosher salt to taste (probably a good 1 teaspoon, since the base is water)
50-cent piece size, or so, handful of raw spaghetti noodles to add at the end (I used Trader Joe's brown rice)
1 large handful raw spinach leaves to add at the end
Parmesan and Asiago cheese, optional garnish

The Directions.

If you're going to use a chicken carcass, cook it on low overnight in the water. In the morning, unplug the crock and let it cool before digging in with CLEAN hands to pick out the bones. Strain through a colander (retaining liquid!) if desired.
Or, start with a slow cooker with 6 cups of water, and add chicken. Add all vegetables except for the spinach leaves. Stir in the bouillon and vinegar. Salt to taste. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender and the onion is translucent.

15 minutes before serving, put in raw spaghetti noodles and a large handful of spinach. Cover and flip to high.

Garnish with parmesan and asiago cheeses, if desired.

The Verdict.

This is such a wonderful, comforting soup. The balsamic vinegar does two things: 1, it really darkens the broth which provides a nice color, and 2, it brings the chicken flavor out so nicely while providing a touch of a tang. The tang is nice, because it fools your tongue into thinking it's tasting salt----which is mostly what you taste in canned chicken noodle soups.

Absolutely delicious. This fed our family of four for dinner, with just a bit leftover (and the kids were able to have 3rds!)

other yummy soups:

chicken and rice
Albondigas soup
black eyed pea soup
borscht
butternut squash