A Year of CrockPotting

Absolutely Crazy CrockPot Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:25:00 +0000

Day 281.

I got adventurous yesterday. I don't really know what came over me, but I was feeling brave and went out on a limb. The jury is still out on whether or not my concoction was a success. It may actually be a hung jury.

Spurred along by a turkey recipe I found online using anchovies, I went to Trader Joe's. I figured: turkey, anchovies, tomatoes... sure! Why not? This was a real recipe by a real chef guy that is served in a real restaurant.

Nothing could be wrong with that.

I didn't print out the recipe. I just went. And hunted. And gathered.

I kind of like what I made.

I may be the only one.

in the entire world.

that's okay with me.

The Ingredients.

--1 1/4 pounds turkey breast cutlets
--8.5 oz jar sundried tomatoes, drained and rinsed
--2 oz can anchovies, drained and rinsed (even though 2 cans are pictured, I only used 1)
--6 slices of bacon (I used turkey)

The Directions.

I used a 6.5 quart crockpot. Anything over 3 quarts would work just fine.

Spread the bacon on the bottom of your crockpot. Rinse off the anchovies, and lay them on top. Add the turkey cutlets; it's okay if they overlap.

Rinse off a bit of the oil from the sundried tomatoes, and add it on top of the turkey. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours (this was in a not-very-full 6.5 quart, so if you are using a smaller pot, it will take longer).

The Verdict.

I served this with polenta that I JUST YESTERDAY perfected in the rice cooker. Yay! (1 cup cornmeal, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 T butter---after cooking cycle, take the lid off, stir, and let sit for about 5 minutes. delicious.)

The combo of the smoky and slightly salty turkey with the acidity and tang of the sundried tomatoes was crazy-good. I didn't eat the bacon or the anchovies, I just used them for flavor.

I'm the only one who ate this. I ate 2 1/2 servings, and will gladly eat leftovers for lunch. Apparently if you announce you're making something with anchovies for dinner, people seem to want to prepare something all on their own.

All said? I'm pretty darn happy with this recipe. Iron CrockPot, anyone?

CrockPot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:53:00 +0000

Day 280.

This is not the best picture. I took it quickly--we were expecting a house full of people. This is a creamy and full-of-flavor soup that tastes like it has a bunch of butter and cream in it. It does not.

The Ingredients.

--1 butternut squash
--2 T olive oil
--2 small medium onions, or 2 T onion flakes
--4 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
--2 small apples, peeled and cubed
--1 1/2 tsp salt
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/4 tsp nutmeg
--1/4 tsp cloves
--1/4 tsp coriander
--1/4 tsp cinnamon

The Directions.

Use at least a 5 quart crockpot for this soup.

Cut the squash in half long ways. This is terribly hard to do. If you microwave the entire squash for 2 to 5 minutes on high, the skin will soften, but you will still need to use a pretty powerful knife. If you can find already peeled and cubed butternut squash use that.

I couldn't believe how difficult it was for me to cut the squash. My knife got stuck.

Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Brush olive oil on the inside of the squash and roast it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until you can peel the skin away from the flesh.

Plug in your crockpot and turn to high. Add the broth, and the onion and apple. Stir in the spices. Cover to let heat.

When the squash has finished roasting, add it to the pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4.

Blend in small batches with a stand blender, or carefully blend with an immersible wand.

The Verdict.

This is a comfort soup. I like to curl up with a mug and watch TV. My mom, grandma, and I all like squash soup, but we're the only ones who do in the family. This is what I'm going to have for lunch this week.

Acorn Squash CrockPot Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:21:00 +0000

Day 279.

Autumn is here, and the grocery stores and produce stands are full of squash and colorful seasonal produce. I love the colors and smells of fall and the cooler weather. I purposely find piles of leafs to crunch through when walking the kids to school---this is a great time of year, and the perfect time to dig out the crockpot.

The hardest thing about this recipe is cutting through the squash. My mom told me (too late, I had already plopped the pieces in the crock) that she usually microwaves squash for a few minutes to soften the skin before cutting. I look forward to trying that next time. I ended up using the little orange serrated knife that comes with the jack o'lantern carving kit to get through the tough skin.

The Ingredients.

--acorn squash
--2 T brown sugar
--2 T butter
--2 tsp cinnamon
--4 pinches of salt

The Directions.

I use a 4 quart crockpot. Cut the squash in quarters, and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. I gave the innards to the guinea pigs; they were thrilled.

Put 1/2 T of butter and 1/2 T of brown sugar into each quarter. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of cinnamon onto each brown sugar pile. Add a small pinch of salt to each quarter.

Lower the pieces into your crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for about 3. The squash is finished when it is fork tender and peels away from the skin easily.

The Verdict.

My mom and I ate this, and liked it a lot. I was able to get one kid to try a bite, and she liked it, but I think she mostly got brown sugar. Adam doesn't like squash, but ate a few bites to be nice.

I will make this again. It was simple, tasty, and smelled wonderful. I'll just share with my mom.

CrockPot Caramel Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:24:00 +0000

Day 278.

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

Sigh.

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

Now it does.

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

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

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

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

The Ingredients.

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

The Directions.

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

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

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

Let cool on parchment paper or Release foil.

The Verdict.

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

CrockPot Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:20:00 +0000

Day 277.

Happy Friday Fondue Day! Except this is more of a dip, than an actual fondue. I've never been very good at rules.

This dip is famous. This is The Internet's Dip. When I posted that I needed more recipes for the Little Dipper, I got no less than FORTY emails telling me about this dip. Pretty much everybody acknowledged that the ingredients were weird and shouldn't taste good together, but they just do.

Last night I had the extreme honor of going to a local book signing for Sleep Is For the Weak (which you should totally buy for everybody you know for a holiday gift) and then the fabulous Mizz Jenny spent the night.

Because I love her, and I know how much she loves The Internet, I made her this dip. I also gave her pink champagne. Because nothing says high-class like rotel and sausage dip with pink champagne.

The Ingredients.

--8 oz block of cream cheese
--1 can tomatoes and green chiles (aka Rotel), drained
--1 lb breakfast sausage, browned and drained

The Directions.

I didn't use the Little Dipper (I said I wasn't good at rules!), I used my 1.5 quart crockpot, and it was the right size. You'll need to cut the recipe in half to fit the Little Dipper.

Brown the sausage on the stove, and drain on paper towels.

Unwrap the cream cheese, and put it into your crockpot. Chop up the sausage and add on top. Drain the Rotel, and add it.

Cover and cook on low for about 90 minutes, or on high for 45. Stir well and eat with tortilla chips.

The Verdict.

Dude. This is good. I can not believe how good it is.

The ingredients are still weird. I totally agree.

CrockPot Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Curry and Honey

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:16:00 +0000

Day 276.

I made an interesting soup yesterday. The base was cauliflower and broth, and it had both curry and honey---two flavors I have not had together before. I liked it. I got the recipe directly from Sunday Nite Dinner. Chuck and Hungry Bear made it last year, and I'm so glad that I bookmarked it to try in the crockpot.

The Ingredients.
adapted from Sunday Nite Dinner

--1 head cauliflower
--3 T olive oil
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
--2 cups water
--1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (1/4 was enough for me)
--1 yellow onion, chopped in chunks
--2 1/2 tsp curry
--honey

The Directions.

Cut the cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower has begun to brown and turn crispy. You can also roast in the crockpot.

While the cauliflower is roasting, plug in your crockpot and turn to high. Use a 4 quart or larger size. Add the chicken broth and water. Chop the onion and add it along with the cayenne pepper and curry powder.

When the vegetables are finished, add them to the broth.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-4. This is finished when the onion and cauliflower are fully tender.

Carefully use an immersible blender to blend the cauliflower and onion. If you are going to use a traditional blender, go slow and blend small batches at a time.

Drizzle honey over the top before serving.

The Verdict.

I could not get the kids anywhere near this. They had bean burritos on brown rice tortillas.

It took Adam a few bites to get used to, but then he liked it. I found the flavor to be mysterious. It was not like anything I had ever had before. This would be fun to serve at a fancy dinner, where guests can squeeze on their own honey. I really like how rich and velvety it tastes without a drop of cream. I have no idea how Chuck and Hungry Bear got the picture they did at Sunday Nite Dinner----my honey sunk right away.

CrockPot Apple Butter Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:39:00 +0000

Day 275.

Finally! I made apple butter! You can stop emailing me now!

ha ha ha. :-) thank you.

Thank you for pushing me to make this. This beats the lid off of store-bought apple butter.

The Ingredients. --apples. 14 large apples fit in my 6.5 quart crockpot
--2 tsp cinnamon
--2 cups white sugar (see note below)
--1 cup brown sugar (see note below)
--1/2 tsp cloves
--1 T vanilla

The Directions.

This is a 2-day process. Quarter the apples and take out the core. I did not peel, and picked out the skin later. If you enjoy peeling, or have one of those cool apple tools that peels easily, you should peel.
Although my picking out the skin later idea worked, it was kind of a pain. But (for me) it was easier than peeling all of the apples by hand.

Put all of the quartered apples into your crockpot. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

When the cooking is done, mash the apples with a fork. Pick out the skin with the fork. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.

NOTE: I think this was too much sugar. It's good, and my kids really like it, but I feel I went too heavy with the sugar. Next time I will use 3/4 cup of each kind. My mistake came from reading other recipes that called for 3 cups of sugar, instead of going with my gut.

Cover again and cook on low for 6 hours. Pick out more apple skin. If you prefer your apple butter to be velvety-smooth, blend with an immersion blender, or blend in small batches in a traditional blender. I did not do this.

The Verdict.

Very very good. Very sweet, but the sweetness did mellow after a night in the refrigerator. This made enough for 3 jars of apple butter. We gave a container to my mom and grandma. It tastes wonderful with peanut butter on an apple rice cake.

mmm.

CrockPot Halibut in White Sauce with Broccolini

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:20:00 +0000

Day 274.

Good morning! I made a halibut in white sauce for Sunday lunch. It was good. It wasn't as good as the parmesan tilapia, but that's probably to be expected. I am having fun experimenting with fish in the crockpot. I wouldn't have been pushed to try it out without this challenge, and now I really don't think I'll go back to the stove top or oven---it's just too easy in the crockpot and I can not get over the no-fish-smell.

The Ingredients.
recipe from Slow and Simple

--24 oz halibut (or other white fish. Halibut is pretty hearty, so adjust cooking time as necessary)
--2 T flour (I used Pamela's)
--1 T white sugar
--1/4 cup butter, melted
--1/3 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
--2/3 cup fat free milk
--juice from 1 lemon

The Directions.

Microwave butter in a glass bowl, and whisk in the flour. In a separate bowl, combine the milk and the white wine. Slowly add the flour mixture to the milk and wine, stirring the whole time. Squeeze in the lemon. If you dump the cold milk and wine into the flour mixture too quickly, the flour and butter will separate again, and the butter will harden and create weird gloppy lumps that will float to the surface.

Ask me how I know this...

Put the fish (mine was frozen solid) in your crockpot, and cover with the milk and wine liquid. Lay the broccolini on top. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

The Verdict.

It needs salt. My halibut had some bones that I wasn't aware of, which was the biggest problem with this meal. We had it for Sunday Linner? Dunch? (we ate at 3) and all ate a good amount. My kids would have prefered salmon or the parmesean tilapia, though.

CrockPot Honey Cake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:45:00 +0000

Day 273.

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

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

Unless you burn it.

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

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

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

The Directions.

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

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

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

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

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

The Verdict.

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

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

CrockPot Boston Baked Beans Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:20:00 +0000

Day 272.

These are very good beans. Our family always has an 8-pack of Bush's Baked Beans on the shelf in the garage. We buy them in bulk at Costco, and they are a go-to for an easy snack or lunch for the kids (and me!). Because I like them so much, I never really played around with making a Baked Bean anything of my own.

Until Friday. We brought these beans to a PTA potluck, and everyone who tried them commented on how good they were.

I'm going to make another batch today for lunch, because we weren't able to eat as much as we would have liked.

The Ingredients.

This is enough food to feed 8-10 as a side dish. Next time I will make more.

--3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
--2 medium onions, chopped finely, or 2 T dried minced onion (I used dried, because I didn't want to get to the store. I wish I had been able to get fresh)
--1/2 cup brown sugar
--1/4 cup molasses
--1/3 cup ketchup
--1 tsp salt
--1 1/2 tsp dried mustard
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/2 pound of bacon, or equivalent. I used chicken and apple sausage.

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot, but this will fit in as small as a 1.5 quart.

Drain and rinse your beans, and add them to the crockpot. Add onion and brown sugar. Pour in the molasses and ketchup. Add spices. Stir to combine.

Lay slices of uncooked bacon over the top of the beans, or slice chicken and apple sausage and lay it over the top.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or high for about 4. I think you would discard the bacon after cooking, but I kept the chicken and apple sausage and mixed it in.

Our beans ended up being cooked on low for 6 hours, and then were on warm for another 3. They tasted great, but got a bit more dried out than I would have liked. I think if I had used bacon, they wouldn't have---the bacon would have created more juice. Using fresh onion would have helped, too.

The Verdict.

Very tasty.
This is a keeper. We'll make this often. The flavors were much richer than canned beans. If I was going to use dried beans, I'd probably use pinto or a white bean, after learning about that freaky kidney bean toxin.

CrockPot Shepherd's Pie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:05:00 +0000

Day 271.

Last week Maura emailed and asked if I had a crockpot shepherd's pie recipe. I didn't. I didn't even have a regular shepherd's pie recipe, and actually wasn't too clear on what went into one.

She sent me a base recipe, and I made it the other night in the crockpot. I also made a box of macaroni and cheese (Annie's gluten free, in the bright blue box) for the kids---just in case.

They ate the mac and cheese, but the stars must have been in a funky alignment because they also each ate a bowl of the shepherd's pie.

I was astonished.

The Ingredients.

--3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
--1 lb ground turkey or beef
--2 cloves garlic, chopped
--2 cups frozen vegetables (I used roasted corn and peas)
--1 medium onion, chopped finely, or 1 T onion flakes
--1/2 tsp seasoned salt
--1/2 tsp onion powder
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/4 tsp paprika (then a bit more for garnish)
--1 cup water
--2 cups shredded cheese

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot---it was the perfect size. A larger will work, but it will cook faster.

Brown the meat and onion on the stove, and drain any fat. Toss the meat with the spices and garlic---I didn't but next time I'd probably put the garlic and spices in with the meat in the frying pan, it would be easier.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray. Put the meat in the crockpot and stir in the frozen vegetables, and a cup of water. Add two cups of cheese on top. Press the mashed potatoes down on top of the cheese and meat. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for about 3, then remove the lid and cook on high for 30 minutes to release the condensation and allow the potatoes to brown a bit on top. Everything is cooked already, so you're really just allowing the flavors to meld and the potatoes to crustify.

Someone will ask about using raw meat. I'm sure it will work, but I have a swimming-in-fat-and-grease phobia, so I didn't do it. If you are going to try, I'd cut the water down to 1/2 a cup and remember that the potatoes might not get the type of crust you are looking for unless you vent the crockpot with a chopstick or wooden spoon.

The Verdict.

I will make this again. I loved it that all of us ate the same thing at the table, and the kids really enjoyed the meat and potatoes.
Thank you, Maura!

Fancy Cheese Fondue Little Dipper Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:14:00 +0000

Day 270.

It's Friday Fondue Day! I've had quite a few fondue recipes bookmarked on the computer and torn out of magazines, but I haven't made any yet. I don't really know why, and since I have less than 100! days to go, I figured I better get cracking.

So, for the next few Fridays, I'm going to post a fondue recipe until I run out. That means that my Friday Fondue Day will really be on Thursday.

I made this in a Little Dipper, but you can use any small crockpot, or insert an oven-safe dish into your big one. Or you can quadruple everything and have a big vat of cheesiness.

The Ingredients.

--1/4 cup each of 3 "fancy" cheeses. I used goat, gruyere, and swiss
--1/4 cup white wine
--1/2 tsp nutmeg

The Directions.

Shred the hard cheese and put them in the Little Dipper. Add the goat cheese. Pour in the white wine and sprinkle the nutmeg on top. No need to stir---it will melt together.

Plug in the Little Dipper. Cook for 45 minutes, then stir. Cover again and heat until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with bread, croutons, crackers, or your favorite dipping vegetables.

I made large croutons out of a loaf of Trader Joe's Brown Rice bread. All I did was brush olive oil on both sides, and sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. Then bake at 400 until golden, flipping once.

The Verdict.

Very tasty. The kids really liked this more than I wanted them to. I kind of thought this was going to be a grown-up snack, but they ate a LOT. I'm envisioning a fondue party in our future.

Lima Bean Casserole Cassoulet CrockPot Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:36:00 +0000

Day 269.

I googled casserole vs. cassoulet and didn't get a very good answer. Somebody should write an article really laying out the differences---it'd get a lot of hits. In my very (very) limited breadth of knowledge, I'm going to decide that they are the same thing, but cassoulets use beans as a base instead of rice or pasta.

And cassoulet is French, so your coolness factor goes up just by using the word.

I also googled "are lima beans vegetables or beans" and only got an answer about whether or not they are a fruit or vegetable. I can't imagine anyone could really think they are a fruit, but whatever. Growing up, I was certain they were vegetables, because they were greenish and came in a little container swimming in butter at the school cafeteria. And they are in the frozen vegetable section of the grocery store.

But I think they are beans, which are legumes. And this ends pretty much everything I know.

my brain is now empty.

Don't be scared to try lima beans. I got the kids to try them---and my parents each had two bowls.

The Ingredients.

--1 pound of dried lima beans (soaked over night)
--28 oz can diced tomatoes
--2 cups diced ham, or turkey ham
--1 medium yellow onion, chopped
--3 smashed and chopped garlic cloves
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--1 T dried mustard
--1 cup water

The Directions.

Soak the beans overnight in a bunch of cold water. They will expand, so use enough water to cover them at least 4 inches.

In the morning, drain and rinse the beans. Dump into a 4 quart or larger crockpot. Add a fresh cup of water.

Dice up the ham or turkey ham (I think chicken and apple sausages would be good, too) and add on top.

Open the can of tomatoes, and pour in the whole can. Chop the onion and garlic and add. Stir in the spices.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. I cooked our beans for about 7. This is done when the beans are tender. If you cook this too long, the only harm will be that the beans begin to fall apart.

The Verdict.

I really was astonished at how much I liked this. I couldn't get enough, and I'm pretty sure I was annoying Adam by going on and on (and on some more) about how amazing it was that lima beans could taste so good.

Lima beans have been given a bad rap. We should change that.

yes, I'm writing this at 3 in the morning. I couldn't sleep. Should I just be up for the day, or go back to bed. That is the question...

Crockpot Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Crockpot Lady) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:15:00 +0000

Day 268.

I am so excited about this recipe! When Adam and I were about 19, our friends got married. We loved going to visit their new apartment, and felt quite adult when the four of us pulled folding chairs to the table and sat down to eat a home-cooked meal. I helped. My job was sprinkling paprika on top of the chicken and rice bake we learned how to make from a can label.

This is that same chicken and rice bake. But without the fat, sodium, and mono-whatnots.

and you can make it in your crockpot. I came across this last week on Allyson's website. Thank you so much for sharing it, Allyson!

The Ingredients.
adapted from A Heart For Home.

--1 1/2 cups of brown rice
--1 1/2 cups chicken broth
--1 1/2 cups milk, divided (stick with 2% or lower in fat content. I used soy.)
--3/4 cup flour (I used Pamela's)
--1 small yellow onion, diced
--8 oz sliced mushrooms
--3-4 chicken breast halves or equivalent parts (1 used 3 huge frozen breast halves)
--1/2 tsp onion powder
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/4 tsp paprika

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart or larger crockpot for this. I used a 6-quart.

You need to use the stove top for one part. This is tricky for me, because I always, always, always have things boil over. Which is why the canned soup in the Little Dipper is so exciting.

I did it again. And needed to be reminded by my 4-year-old that "bad words aren't nice, mommy." But I had JUST cleaned the stove top, and even ran the burner thingy-mabobs through the self-cleaning cycle of the oven last Thursday. So they were spotless.

ahem.

Combine all of the chicken broth (1 1/2 cups) and 1/2 cup of milk in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat on the stove. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup of milk with 3/4 cup flour.
When the broth and milk have begun to boil, reduce heat, and slowly stir in the milk and flour mixture. When everything is fully incorporated, set the pot aside to cool.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.

Add the rice and seasonings to your crock. Chop up the onion, and add it with the mushrooms. Stir in your broth, flour, and milk mixture. The rice will turn a bit red from the paprika.

Lay the chicken pieces on top.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for about 8. I cooked ours on high for 4, and let it stay warm for another 2.

When you take the lid off of the crockpot, stir the rice. If the rice is fully cooked and you have extra liquid, keep the lid off for about 15 minutes. The liquid will absorb quickly.

The Verdict.

Very tasty. I am so excited to have this new cream-of alternative that doesn't use any butter. This is a keeper, and I can see making it quite often in the years to come.

It needs a bit of salt.

The kids ate their chicken separate from the rice.