Addiction of the Week: The Slow Cooker
Categories: Eating & nutrition
When we finally moved out of our duplex and into the house where we now reside, I remember thinking, "How did we ever survive without a washer and dryer?" My husband went one further. "This dishwasher may just save our marriage."Then we got used to having those conveniences. I went back to work when Nate was 15-months-old and soon the new battleground became dinners. Who was home to make them? And who kept burning the garlic?
This past Christmas, my two awesome girlfriends (incidentally, moms met through blogging) gave me a Crock Pot. It seemed so old fashioned at first. Like something that should have gone out of style with Tupperware parties. But the instant we tasted our first slow-cooked turkey chilli, we were hooked. "This may just save our marriage," my husband uttered again.
(Hmmm... maybe we should explore this idea of needing appliances to aid our marital woes...)
Now we can't stop. This week alone I made this split pea soup with ham hock, then modified this Jamie Oliver recipe for minestrone the next day, reusing the ham hock instead of bacon. (It was a BIG ham hock.) Tonight we're having braised beef ribs with sautéed spinach on the side. I love cooking with wine on a Friday night!
So now that I'm converted, enlighten me. What slow cooker recipes are you loving? Though it's saving my marriage, not sure if it's saving my waistline with all these fatty cuts of meat. Got any lo-cal or veggie suggestions?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
try2doitall 2-22-2008 @ 7:49PM
My Crockpot is also my favorite kitchen appliance, my "dirty little secret" is that I actually own four of various sizes. I cook breakfast in my 3q one every day, I have one that will hold a 25lb turkey (great oven space saver at holiday time) and dinner comes out of one at LEAST five nights per week. My current favorite source of ideas is NOT Your Mothers Crockpot Cookbook by Hensperger and Kaufman. I also enjoy the sites http://www.crock-pot-recipes.info/ and http://www.a-crock-cook.com/. It may be "old fashioned" but I am never worrying about having to slave in the kitchen when I get home from work. After dinner when the kids are making lunches for the next day I get the next nights dinner ready to start in the morning and start breakfast in my smallest one. I would rather give up my dishwasher than my crockpots.
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mamacheryl 2-22-2008 @ 8:38PM
My mom has made beef and pork roasts in her slow cooker for years. She covers the roast with water and mixes in a packet of onion soup mix and a dash of worcestershire sauce and lets that cook for hours, eventually adding in a lot of veggies near the end.
I'd love to hear some veggie ideas, too.
I made a lo-cal beef stew in my slow cooker the other day that was pretty tasty. I blogged it at my food site http://skinnymeals.blogspot.com/2008/01/chunky-beef-stew.html/.
I bet a lot of soups would be yummy when prepared in a crock pot.
Cheryl
http://redpens-diapers.blogspot.com
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Margaret 2-22-2008 @ 9:04PM
These aren't terribly light, but they're really good.
Salsa Chicken:
Put in 2 cans of corn
2 cans of beans
Throw in a bunch of chicken thighs (they can be frozen)
Cover with a jar of salsa
Cook all day. About an hour before you're ready to serve, put in a brick of cream cheese. Or add a dollop or sour cream on individual servings, or some shredded jack cheese.
Here's my recipe for babyback ribs:
This is the sauce (ignore the gluten stuff. Everything I make is gluten free):
Gluten Free Homemade Bar-B-Que Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (The bottle of Lea and Perrins I have is gluten-free, but check the label, they change the formula from time to time)
1 tablespoon wheat free soy sauce (such as Tamari)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Just mix it up and pour over ribs. Slow cook for at least 8-10 hours. Most of the fat ends up in the sauce if you cook them. I usually do them on high for a few hours and then turn it down.
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Summer 2-22-2008 @ 9:51PM
Oh, I LOVE mine!!!
Like you, when I first considered getting one I thought it was so old-fashioned. But I had found this great little cookbook: "Fix It & Forget It: Slow-Cooker Recipes" and thought I would give it a shot.
I had never attempted homemade chili before, but now it's a regular favorite around here!
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WonderMom 2-22-2008 @ 10:11PM
Sandra Lee of Semi Homemade has a wonderful slow cooker cook book
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d. 2-22-2008 @ 10:55PM
whole chicken abed onions, carrots, potatoes. and in 6-8 hours VIOLA you got moist off the bone chicken. if want use the fat in the bottom and add flour, chicken knorr ouch of gravy for 30 minutes, some hot water VIOLA gravy!
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Maureen 2-22-2008 @ 11:00PM
Love my crockpot. From fall through the end of spring I use it at least twice a week. My favorite non-recipe if I'm going to be rushing about and I don't even have time to chop veggies is to throw in a pork loin and top it with a bunch of my favorite BBQ sauce (I make my own if I have time) and a handful of diced onions. Turn it on low for 8-10 hours and when you get home, just cook up some Uncle Ben's whole grain rice and some corn. Kids are happy, hubby is happy and our dog is happy because there is usually something left for her.
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Mel 2-23-2008 @ 3:51AM
Try to find somewhere to get smoked Turkey Legs and sub those for the Ham Hocks. That way the recipies you already have become lower fat right off the bat. Love love love doing this!
II just got myself a new slow cooker with a thermometer built in and a timer that will automatically switch to "Warm" when the cooking time is done.....it's sad how excited this still makes me 3 weeks later!!!
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d. 2-23-2008 @ 8:50AM
just made butter nut squash soup.
i cooked squash, carrots, white potatoes in slow clooker for 6 hours with chicken broth. then i pureed them and added some fried onions, fresh garlic, celery to the pot, with some skim milk, plain yogurt to make it thicker, and left for another few hours for the spices to mingle. it was delicious!!
also love to cook all day spag sauce with stew tomatoes, fresh spices, ground turkey or chicken, or ground round, a little wine, some tom paste and VIOLA fresh sauce instead of canned sauce.
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rachel 2-23-2008 @ 5:02PM
Crockpot Chicken Taco meat: http://www.recipezaar.com/4957
Makes tacos even quicker, or use it in oven fried chimichangas (I can't post the link because there are only 3 allowed per comment, but it is recipe # 28148)
I love this recipe, great for company and sooo easy! Whole chicken in Crockpot: http://www.recipezaar.com/33671
And this pulled BBQ chicken recipe is awesome for lunch or dinner in the summer and (shocker) easy! http://www.recipezaar.com/95569
All are from my favoritest recipe site- literally 90% of what I make comes from their recipes.
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