Crock pots and recipes

Jespah - you'll learn by doing. Eventually you will figure out how to adapt the good vegetarian recipes from one book & correct timing from the other - then you can write your own!

the bean soup was awesome

WOW!

Got your recipes ... Thanks!!

Anon

I've been seriously considering getting a crockpot, so I'll be watching here for recipes (and emailing shewolf for hers!)

The temperature at which salmonella is killed is 165 Farenheit. When all the ingredients in the pot have reached that temp, it's safe. A crockpot will take longer to get there than other cooking methods, certainly, but as long as it's there within a couple of hours you're safe.

I can think of at least one chicken recipe that should be cooked very slowly: coq au vin! Yum yum yum.

Also, many chili recipes can be made with chicken or turkey instead of beef or pork.

More thoughts after I've had a chance to think...

you guys are welcome.

;-)

I am a cooking feak on my good days

on my bad days I can burn water..
but some how , even that tastes good.

I am working on a Tofu recipie list.
I may consider getting it published.. it is pretty good and has gone over well with close to a hundred people.

> may hand some out here.. <

mc!!!

Okay, so, crock pot update.

The best thing it makes, hands down, is bean soup. Toss the dried beans in (after 24 hrs of soaking and discarding the soak water), water, chopped onion, carrot, celery, ground pepper, a little salt-free grill seasoning and a little mirepois (bag made of cheese cloth and tied with clean string. If I'm misusing the word mirepois, my apologies to, er, the spirit of Julia Child) of bay leaves, fresh garlic and coriander seeds.

Put together, cover and start up at 4 hrs (this is the high setting). Forget it's there. Come home to awesome-smelling house and tasty dinner. Add salad and some form of bread and you're good to go.

Chicken turned out okay, it was very soft and well-cooked but also a bit sitting in the dripped-off fat. I had put it on top of a lattice of carrot and celery so I think next time (which will be today) I will do up more carrot, etc. So long as I can close the lid, all's well. Last time, I pulled off most of the skin and cut away most of the visible fat and I am going to do that again -- but since that all takes out moisture, I feel the need to add some water at the bottom of the pot. I'll do that again, but less water this time. I don't want the chicken to take a bath.

Rice turned out hard and overcooked, but it's my own dang fault, as I had set it for 8 hrs on low when it should have been set for 4 hrs on high, and probably with about 1/2 - 1 c. additional water. I have plenty of rice right now and won't try it again until I need to replenish my stock.

You're having fun and that's good. I still haven't worked our new pot into my full conciousness yet, forgetting that we even have one. It's been used only twice since Christmas.

Jes, I think you meant bouquet garnis. Mirepois is carrots, onion and celery. REgarding the chicken: a meat rack is necessary. The one you made with carrots and celery should work. How long did you cook your bird? How much did it weigh?

Ahhh will look for a rack. Yeah, bouquet garnis (oops, I spoke French!).

about 3 1/2 lbs, 4 hrs on high, then on warm for maybe an extra 1 1/2 hrs. It was definitely cooked through, just kinda soft.

I think I'll do it without celery next time, too.

PS Found the rack and ordered it.

Crock Pot roasted chicken definitely is different than oven roasted. You might try cooking it on low for the entire time and see what you think. I personally like the way it turns out. I think it's really moist. I hate dry chicken.

Hahaha I was scrolling through the discussion topics and I read the name of this one as "Crackpots and recipes."

I've finally cracked. Even the internet is calling me a crackpot! I think it's time to go home for the day.

Yes, it's recipes for the insane. We need to eat, too, yanno.

I think the best thing I've made in it is a variant on Boston Baked Beans. They come out tasty, are low fat and low cholesterol and are a snap to make.

1 package (I think it's a pound) of dried pink beans
1 TB mustard (I used dijon but probably any kind of brown kind is fine)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
3 - 4 oz. honey
4 c. V-8 (tomato juice is fine if you don't have V-8)
2 c. water
4 slices of turkey bacon, torn into pieces
Ground black pepper, to taste
A couple of pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, if desired, torn into small pieces

1) Soak beans overnight, changing the water once
2) Place ingredients into crock pot
3) Turn on high for 4 hours
4) Once done, eat. We like it with a salad, sometimes with some bread. It's good the next day, too.

Chicken is better with the meat rack but I'm still not really loving it. It may have to do with me really pulling off as much skin as possible and cutting away as much visible fat as possible. That might be messing with the texture but I really want the fat outta there, so I'll live.

Rice is okay, you need to run it on high and no more than 4 hours, plus you need to add carrots or celery or parsnips to the bottom of the cooker or else you end up with a lot of mushy, overcooked rice on the bottom. With the added vegetables, you still get some overcooked rice but a lot less, plus the vegetables impart some moisture and flavor.

love the crockpot for soups and stews in the winter

my beef stew

stewing beef, onion, potato, turnip or rutabaga or parsnips (or all three), carrots, bay leaf, basil and for liquid two cans V8 juice, slooooow cook on low, add frozen peas near the end

Hiya dj!

I just started a new job and so the crock pot has been a lifesaver. It's wonderful to have dinner ready when you come home. If it's possible to fall in love with an appliance, I have. We'd run away together but it's not a very long cord so we wouldn't get very far.

I made beans and rice the other day.
1 c rice
1 c beans
3 1/2 c water
1/4 c V-8
chipotle pepper (crushed) to taste
sliced mushrooms
raw carrots strewn at the bottom of the crock

Cooked on low for 8 hrs. The food came out well (it could've used some salt but it was okay; I would add more V-8 next time) but I still got some dried rice on the sides of the crock. The vegetables at the bottom did prevent sticking at the bottom, though. Small victories.

Funny you should resurrect this thread. Just a few minutes ago, I remembered the frozen Marie Callendar's chicken and dumplings crockpot meal that I bought out of curiosity a few weeks ago. It's been in the freezer and today is as good as any to throw it in the pot and see how it eats.

beth linked to it in the dinner tonight or last night thread

I just came home with a butternut squash. I'm going to make soup out of it. I think I'll use the crockpot. I haven't had it out all summer.

Beth pointed me in this direction after I posted about short ribs in a crockpot for dinner tonight. So...for Jespah because she likes poultry:

Pulled Turkey

3 to 4 lb (1 1/2 to 2 kg) turkey legs or breast, skin removed
1 small onion, grated
2 gloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup dijon or coarse mustard
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp each: salt, cracked black pepper
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
6 to 8 kaiser buns, split, warmed

Preparation:
Place turkey in slow cooker stoneware. In small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine remaining ingredients except for liquid smoke. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in liquid smoke.
Pour sauce over turkey. Cover. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours, or on high 4 to 5 hours, until turkey is falling from bone.
Transfer turkey to cutting board. Discard bones. Shred meat by hand or with two forks. Return to sauce.
To serve, spoon turkey and sauce over buns.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

I cheat and use boneless turkey in this recipe (thighs are good).