Crock Pot Meals

I am not a big fan of turkey and would prefer a baked ham or chicken but I know most people do and turkey is a traditional Thanksgiving food so here’s a fast and easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe that you can cook in the CROCK-POT.

Turkey breast with cranberry and apple

2 teasp melted butter

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 large apple, cored and chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 cup cranberry sauce

3/4 teasp chicken seasoning

2 cups fine bread crumbs, seasoned

2 - 3 pounds turkey breast cutlets

Combine the butter, chicken broth, apple, onion, celery, cranberry sauce, chicken seasoning and stuffing.

Place 3 tablespoons of this stuffing mix on each turkey cutlet and roll up and tie.  Place in the CROCK-POT.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.  Serve with  extra cranberry sauce.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

This pineapple upside down cake is one of my recipes that I have adapted for the CROCK-POT.  I can let it cook while I’m out shopping or in the yard, gardening and I have a dessert cake for afternoon tea or for dinner.  I used a 7 - 8 inch cake tin that fits into my crock pot but you don’t need to if  yours has a removable liner.  I just find it easier to turn the cake out onto a plate without it sticking.

Ingredients:

4 rings of sliced pineapple

2 oz (60 g) butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablspn dessicated coconut (optional)

6 red glace cherries

Cake Mix:

2 oz (60 g) soft butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1/4 teasp vanilla essence

1 1/4 cups Self Raising Flour

1/2 cup milk

Pour the melted butter into the crock pot base and sprinkle over the brown sugar.  Arrange the pineapple rings over the top with the glace cherries. If your crock pot base is oval cutting the pineapple will help to arrange it more evenly.

To make up the cake mix cream the butter and caster sugar until light and then beat in the egg and vanilla, mixing well.  Sift the flour and fold into the batter alternatively with the milk.  Pour into the CROCK-POT over the pineapple base.  Cover with several paper towels and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.  Don’t open the lid until cooking nearly finished.  Turn onto serving plate while still very warm so the topping doesn’t stick to the base of the pot.

Serve the pineapple upside down cake with a dab of cream or ice cream for a dessert or just warmed up with a cup of tea or coffee.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Oops I got tagged by KellyK at http://dewdropcity.blogspot.com/

The rules are:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Seven facts about me umm……let me think…..

1.  I haven’t been a blogger for very long, only for about 3 months or so and have two blogs so far.

2.  I love to cook when I have the time, especially for the family.  As you can see by this blog I love crock pot cooking especially on weekdays when I am busy at work all day and can come home to a hot meal already cooked.

3.  My birthday is today, 1 November (but I’m not telling you how old I am bit I am a BabyBoomer).

4.  My favorite color is probably blue or pink or purple or green.  Ok, Im not a good decision maker.

5.  I love the internet and the social networks you can make on here.  I have made many friends too.

6.  I am also a procrastinator like KellyK, for example I only managed to do my tax at the very last minute.

7.  My favorite TV show would be CSI (the original) but the English shows like Taggart are pretty good (if you can understand the heavy Scottish accent) and Midsomer Murders has great twists and turns of story line.

My tag list… I’m sorry if it hurts, I didn’t intend to tag you without an anesthetic

http://chillyscookin.blogspot.com/

http://liz.mommyslittlecorner.com/

http://tanyabones.blogspot.com/

http://www.jenncooks.com/

http://www.tastythoughts.info/

http://www.lainiesips.com/

http://weight-watchers-points-recipes.blogspot.com/

I hope no one gets upset with me for tagging them but I do think its a good way to get to know eachother and get some link love. 

All the best to you and hope you all had a fun Halloween…… Pauline

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

There are lots of great crock pot desserts recipes to try but one of my mother’s favorite recipes that she has made in winter for as long as I can remember is rice pudding.   I have adapted her recipe for the CROCK-POT.  A 3 1/2 quart size crock pot would be ideal for this recipe but you can use a larger one, just cook for a little less time.

Rice Pudding

2  1/2 cups cooked rice

1  3/4 cups milk

4 tabs brown sugar

2 tabs soft butter

1/2 teasp vanilla essence

1/2 teasp ground cinnamon

1/2 teasp ground nutmeg

3 large eggs, whisked well

1/2 cup sultanas

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour into the buttered base of the crock pot and stir. Put on the lid and cook on high for 1.5 - 2 hours. Stir again once in the first half hour.

Serve with stewed or canned fruit and ice cream.

This crock pot desserts recipe is so quick to cook so you can put it on in the later afternoon for that evenings meal.  If you are looking for other great recipes for winter warming dishes then try Amazon for The Ski House Cookbook: Warm Winter Dishes for Cold Weather Fun.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I have a great recipe for you to make this week. This chicken crock pot recipe is an adaption of one I usually cook but this time when I was defrosting the chicken I found that it actually was chicken mince and not pieces.  Luckily I can adapt well to these challenges and I changed the method a bit and this is the result.  It needs a bit more preparation but is not too difficult for a new cook.  I hope you like it.

Crock Pot Curried Chicken Meatballs

Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs (700g) chicken mince

1 egg yolk

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 tab chutney

1/2 teasp cumin

Breadcrumbs

oil for frying

Sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teasp fresh ginger, minced

1 1/2 onions, finely chopped

3  tabs korma curry paste

3 cups chicken stock

2 tabs corn flour

1/2 chopped red bell pepper

2 teasp tomato paste

2 tabs fruit chutney

2 tabs fresh coriander, chopped roughly

cracked pepper and salt, to your taste

10 oz (300g) can chick peas, well drained (optional)

1 cup cauliflower, broken into small florets (optional)

Combine first 5 meatball ingredients and roll into small balls.  You can add some breadcrumbs to help it bind together if the mixture is a bit soft.  Roll them in breadcrumbs and brown them in a large skillet with a little oil.  Remove and put the meatballs in the base of the crock pot.

Into the skillet add a little more oil if required or remove any excess, whatever applies.  Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes.  Add curry paste and flour and cook for another few minutes. Add chicken stock and stir until it thickens slightly.Add the tomato paste, chutney, coriander, salt and pepper and stir well.

Pour sauce over meatballs and stir lightly to make sure all meatballs are coated.  Put lid on the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.  If you are adding the cauliflower and chick peas do that after it has been cooking for 3 hours and stir lightly through.  Try and do this quickly to avoid too much heat loss. Serve with boiled or steamed rice.

If you are looking for more recipes that are delicious, then check out this book at Amazon called the Crock-Pot Recipe Collection: The Original Slow Cooker

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

You have been asked to a Potluck Party and you can’t cook.  What do you do?  If you own a crock pot you have the problem solved. You need to prepare the dish in advance and be able to carry it to the party so the crock pot is perfect for this.

Traditional dishes like casseroles and chili are good choices.  Dishes don’t have to be fancy and the recipe doesn’t need to be complicated. Mark your crock pot with your name so you can identify it afterwards.  You might be surprised how many people will bring them and then you will know which one is yours when it has been cleaned.

A great easy recipe for a non cook and one that has very little preparation time is this chili one below:

Crockpot chili

16 oz can kidney beans, drained well
2 cans (14 oz) tomatoes
2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped finely
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 gloves garlic, crushed
3 tabs chilli power
1 teasp pepper
1 teasp cumin
salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in the crock pot in the order listed.  Stir once, cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 5 hours. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, corn bread or corn chips.

Tip:  Take copies of the recipe with you so others can check the ingredients if they have allergies.  They will love this dish so much they will want a copy of it and it says to others ‘hey I really can cook’ (hehe).

Have fun at your potluck party and Im sure you will now be hooked on how easy it is to cook with the crock pot.  No matter what level of cook you are there is a crock pot recipe for you.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I like this recipe as it is fairly low in fat except for the bacon and it’s full of fiber.  Corn chowder is one of my favorite soup recipes especially in winter because it is filling and warming at the same time and making it in the CROCK-POT is simple.

Corn Chowder

6 slices lean short cut bacon, diced

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

2 pkts (10 oz each) frozen whole kernel corn (total 580g)

1 can (16oz or 420g) cream style corn

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups water

In skillet fry bacon until crisp, remove and put aside.  Add onion and potatoes to pan and saute for about 5 minutes, drain well.  Combine all the ingredients in the CROCK-POT and stir well.  Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.  Ladle half of the soup into a medium size bowl (make sure to replace the lid on crock pot) and process until fairly smooth then add back into the crock pot.  Stir, and add 1 - 2 cups vegetable stock until you get the consistency you like.  I like it thick but still looking like a soup.  Put the lid back on again and continue cooking for another hour.  Serves 4.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

So, you have a new CROCK-POT and you haven’t tried it out yet.  Now is the time to start.  Cooking in the crock pot is simple and easy but the meals are delicious. Buy a crock pot recipe book first so you get experienced with how the crock pot cooks, then you can learn to adapt your own recipes.  Converting regular recipes to crock pot recipes isn’t very difficult at all if you just remember these few facts.

Soups and stews are the easiest recipes and are natural slow cooker favorites so try them first.  The crock pot doesn’t brown the meat so if you like the look and taste of brown meat then you need to quickly brown it first before adding it to the pot.  Also this helps with reducing any fat you may get from the meat as the fat makes the food cook faster.

You need to reduce the liquid in a traditional recipe as these don’t evaporate in cooking as in regular cooking so as a general rule halve the amount of liquid you need except when using rice and pasta.

I like to cook most stews and meats on low for around 8 hours as this allows the meat to tenderize and the vegetable to soften but if you making a large quantity I would cook on high for 3 hours then reduce to low for another 6 hours.  As a general rule if a recipe says to cook for 30 minutes then adjust that to 5 hours, 45 minutes to 6-7 hours and 1 hour plus to 8 – 10 hours.

Vegetables cook slower than meats so cut or dice them into small pieces and you can put them at the bottom of the crock pot too if the recipe method allows.  If the recipe includes milk or cheese then add them near the end and you should thicken your cooking around the same time.  Also use fresh herbs rather than dried when available.

Converting regular recipes to crock pot recipes isn’t that difficult if you just remember the tips and ideas above.  If you are a new cook and don’t have any favorite recipes to convert yet then I suggest you check out a book from Amazon called  Rival Crock-Pot Incredibly Easy Recipes (Incredibly Easy)
Now get your crock pot out and make something nice for dinner.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Get all of the facts first before you buy your first crock pot. We like choice don’t we, and with crock pots there are plenty to choose from. Know what is the best crock pot for you and your family.

Take into account the following features when choosing your new crock pot:

Brand
The most popular brand is Rival and has the largest selection.  Another popular brand is Hamilton Beach which also has a good selection but there are dozens of brand names out there all trying to convince you they are the best.  Look around and check out the ranges and be familiar with the prices so you get the best crock pot at the best price.

Types
There are simple types of slow cookers that have 2 or 3 settings (high, low, off) and others are smart pot digital crock pots.  With these digital ones you can set the time you want to start cooking, keep warm, or turn off.

There are crock pots in one piece with non removable bowls.  You can also get two pieces with the bowl being able to be taken out to serve the food at the table, to clean, or store the cooked food in the refrigerator. Removable bowls have the advantage with large crock pots that they can be removed easier as they can be heavy.

Sizes
How big is your family and what do you want to cook in it?  You may only need a small crock pot for two or are you cooking for six and need a larger size?  The most popular sizes are 3-4 quarts for small families to a 6-7 quart for large families.

Shapes
Another thing to consider is the shape.  There are two shapes being round and oval.  Round is good for soups and stews and oval is good for cooking larger meats like whole chicken.

Lids
Lids should fit well and the domed ones are the best as they trap the heat and allow it to drip down back into the pot. You can also get a lid which clamps to seal so that it can’t spill when carrying.

Rival was the first crock pot and has the best selection and you probably cant go wrong with them. You can buy them at Department stores or easier still you can shop online at CROCK-POT.COM.  Buying a new crock should be enjoyable so go have some fun.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

This crock pot beef stew is very easy to put together and you should have all the ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry.

1 1/2 pounds (650g) of round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes

16 oz (400g) can tomatoes

1/2 cup red wine or beef broth

1 tblsp tomato paste

1 tblsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt & black pepper to taste

1 small carrot, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper thinly sliced

1 small grated onion

2 bay leaves (optional)

1/4 tsp thyme and oregano

1/4 pound (120g) fresh mushrooms, sliced

Turn on the crock pot to high and spray with some non stick spray .  Put the steak into the pot, add everything else except the mushrooms and then stir gently.  Put the lid on and turn the heat down to low and cook for 8 hours.   Add the mushrooms in the last 1/2 hour of cooking. You can thicken with cornflour or potato flour about the same time.  Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serve with rice or mashed potato.  Serves 4

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!