Crockery Cookery

It was a long time coming this year, but winter is finally upon us. And with winter comes comfort food: Casseroles and stew and anything else that can be made in a crockpot. I love eating winter food, and I love cooking winter food. So I thought I’d share a few of my family’s favorite delicious, warm-you-to-your-toes, crockpot recipes that my family and I have been enjoying over the past week or so. And the best part is that the recipes all have very minimal prep time, so you can throw them together quickly and then forget about them until your kitchen starts to smell like heaven. Enjoy!

Fiesta Chicken

This recipe is great because it can be served over rice or with a side of cornbread, wrapped in a tortilla to make enchiladas or burritos, used to top a green salad garnished with tortilla chips, or made into tacos. You can even use it as a pizza topping! (I haven’t tried that one yet.) The recipe can also be halved if you want a single meal for four people with no leftovers. You can also alter the ingredients and amounts depending on what you have on hand and what your family likes.

2 to 2-1/2 lbs chicken breasts
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups of frozen corn (or 2 10-oz cans)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg taco seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and stir to combine. Serve over rice, topped with cheese.

Orange Chicken

I love this recipe because it only has a few ingredients, and the only real “work” involved is cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces. And because my super-picky 6-year-old LOVES it (as does my not-so-picky husband). Another benefit for me is that it only takes 3 hours, so I can decide after lunch that I want to make it for dinner and still have time to pick up chicken at the grocery store before I have to get it started. It’s a little on the sweet side, but serving it over rice cuts the sweetness nicely.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¾ cup Smuckers Sweet Orange Marmalade
¾ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ sauce.
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Spray crockpot liner with cooking spray and cook chicken on high for 2-1/2 hours. Drain juices, cut chicken into cubes, and return to crock. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken, stirring to coat. Cook on high for an additional 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Beef Stew

My husband is not a fan of beef stew, as he finds the meat stringy, but I think it’s very tender when cooked in the crock pot. Substitute whatever vegetables you prefer or have on hand. This stew is a meal by itself, but it’s especially good served with crusty French bread or hearty rolls to sop up the broth at the bottom.

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-1/2” cubes
½ cup flour
2 Tbsp oil
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped (or ½ c. frozen chopped onion)
1 cup beef broth or bouillon
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup frozen sliced or baby carrots or 6 fresh carrots, peeled and sliced or quartered
1 cup frozen peas OR lima beans
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
1 small jar pearl onions, drained
4 cups water

Coat meat with flour, set excess flour aside. Heat oil in large skillet and brown meat on all sides. Put all ingredients (except excess flour) in covered crockpot on low for 8-10 hours. Turn up to high; dissolve excess flour (~1/4 cup) in a bit of hot water and add to thicken. Cook for 10-15 additional minutes.

Roast Whole Chicken 

Whenever my grocery store has whole chickens on sale, I grab one and roast it in the crock pot. It's a lovely dinner with just a vegetable and starch on the side, and the leftovers can be served on toast with gravy, shredded for tacos/burritos/enchiladas/quesadillas, diced for chicken salad, served over salad, or made into soup with the broth you make from the carcass (see recipe below)!

1 fresh whole chicken, 3-5 pounds
1 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning (or other seasoning of your choice; Italian is also good)

Rinse chicken and remove giblets from cavity. Pat dry and place in crockpot, breast side up. Rub chicken inside and out with salt, pepper, and other seasonings. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Save carcass to make homemade chicken stock, below.

Homemade Chicken Stock

This wonderful (and wonderfully easy) overnight recipe makes chicken stock that lasts for a long time in the fridge or the freezer, and is delicious as a base for chicken soup; in mashed potatoes, rice, and risotto; and for any other recipe that calls for chicken stock. I make it with whatever vegetables I happen to have on hand, and whatever herbs I’m in the mood to use, so it never comes out the same way twice, but it’s always delicious.

Chicken carcass from above
Carrots (peeled)
Celery
Onion
Poultry seasoning
Minced garlic
Salt and pepper

Remove meat from carcass, break as many small bones as possible, and return carcass to crock. Cut the vegetables into large chunks and add, along with some poultry seasoning, minced garlic, and salt and pepper (I prefer low sodium, so I rarely add salt). Add water to within an inch or so of the top of the crock. You can cook on low for 12 hours or on high for 8, but I usually leave it on high for a couple of hours and then leave it on low overnight. In the morning, strain into containers, allow to cool, skim fat if desired, and refrigerate.

Slow Braised Beef Tips

Much like the beef stew recipe above, these beef tips come out remarkably tender and flavorful. Do not substitute regular mushroom soup for the golden – the tanginess of the golden is what gives the sauce its rich, tangy flavor. This recipe can also be made in the oven – in fact, I converted it from a regular oven recipe. If you prefer using a standard oven rather than a crockpot, use a dutch oven and set the oven at 300 degrees (cooking time will be the same). In either case, DO NOT remove the lid until the cooking time is up!  

2 lbs stew meat, cubes
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 can cream of golden mushroom soup
½ cup beef stock
½ cup sherry or other red wine
4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika (or try smoked paprika – it gives a nice, rich flavor)
1/8 tsp salt (I omit this; the bouillon and canned soup makes it plenty salty)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 pint cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
2 gloves garlic, smashed and chopped

2 springs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped (or a tsp or so of dried thyme)

Add cubed meat to crockpot (or dutch oven). In a large bowl, mix together cornstarch, soup, beef stock, wine, bouillon, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and pour over the meat. Add mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme and stir to coat. Cover and cook on high (or bake at 300 degrees) for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Do not open the lid until done.

Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Pork Chops

Our Costco has the best thick-cut, boneless pork chops. We buy them in packs of 8 or 10 and throw them in the freezer. Sometimes we butterfly them, since cooking time for most recipes is calculated for ½- to ¾” thick chops. Cooking them in the crockpot is a great way to avoid having to defrost them. The first time I made this recipe, I started the frozen, non-butterflied chops on high for half an hour, then turned the crock down to low, and they were done in 3 hours! I recommend using a meat thermometer and turning the crock to warm once the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Once you know how long your usual chops take in your particular crock pot, you can go by time instead of temperature.

4-6 boneless pork chops
1/4 cup brown sugar (can also substitute honey, to taste)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
salt and pepper to taste (I omit completely)

Place pork chops in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops. Cook on low setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch if desired and serve over rice.

Mexican Lasagna

I know, it sounds kind of bizarre, doesn’t it? I had my doubts the first time I made it. But it was a huge hit with my family, especially with my husband. And just like regular lasagna, the leftovers were even better than when it was fresh out of the pan. This is another very generous recipe, so if you don’t want lots of leftovers, cut it in half. Adjust the spiciness by using mild, medium, or hot salsa. The original recipe called for 8 oz. of cream cheese but I found that much too rich, so I cut the amount in half. It also called for a can of Mexicorn, for which I substituted frozen corn. And since I’m the only one in my family who likes black olives, I left them out and added them on top of my portion just before serving.

2 16 oz. jars of salsa, your preferred spiciness
2 envelopes (8 Tbsp) taco seasoning, divided
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 14 oz. can refried beans
uncooked lasagna noodles
2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup water
1-1/2 cups frozen corn (or 1 14oz. can Mexicorn or regular corn)
2 small cans sliced black olives, drained
3 green onions, sliced
2 cups shredded mozzarella
2 cups shredded cheddar

Mix together 1 Tsbp taco seasoning with cream cheese, sour cream, and refried beans and set aside. Brown ground beef in a skillet; drain. Add remaining taco seasoning and water, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside. Mix shredded cheeses together in a bowl and set aside. Spoon a little salsa into the crockpot to avoid sticking.

Layer the lasagna as follows: Cover the bottom of the crock with (uncooked) lasagna noodles, breaking to fit as needed. Spread 1/3 of the bean mixture over the noodles and top with 1/3 of beef, 1/3 of corn, and ¼ of olives. Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheese and top with ¼ of salsa. Repeat twice more, ending with a layer of noodles. Pour remaining salsa on top of noodles. Reserve remaining shredded cheese, olives, and green onions.

Cover crock and cook on high for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Ten minutes before serving, top with remaining cheese, olives, and green onions.  

Mom's Favorite Kitchen Gadgets

I'm not exactly a gourmet cook, but I do enjoy cooking. Unfortunately, with two small children, I don't always have as much time to cook as I'd like. But there are a number of wonderful appliances and gadgets in my kitchen that make my culinary exploits a lot more manageable. Here are a few of my favorite kitchen items.

Crock Pot

The most obvious mom timesaver in my kitchen is my pretty red crock pot. It's big enough to make double batches that I can freeze for later, big enough to roast an entire chicken and make stock with the carcass, big enough for those soups and stews that magically come out much more voluminous than I intended. And the best part, of course, is that most recipes consist of dumping everything in around lunch time, then forgetting about it until it's time to eat supper. And did I mention that it's pretty and red, so it makes me happy every time I see it on the counter?

Keurig

Useful for so much more than just coffee or tea, I use my Keurig all the time to grab a quick shot of hot water - for making the kids a cup of cocoa or a bowl of oatmeal, for mixing up a batch of instant mashed potatoes, for melting the petrified remains of a forgotten lollipop in a car seat cup holder. Or even just to fill a mug with hot water to warm my hands.

Pizza Cutter

I know what you're thinking: "A pizza cutter? Seriously?!? How often do you eat pizza that it's that important to you?" Ah, but a pizza cutter works for so much more than just pizza! You can use it to cut up pancakes and waffles, you can use it to cut off sandwich crusts for picky eaters, you can use it to slice that gooey grilled cheese sandwich into "fingers" suitable for dipping into tomato soup. It's also an excellent Play-Doh toy. The uses are endless, really.

Waffle Iron

Although certainly not as varied in uses as a pizza cutter, the waffle iron has a useful function in that it makes things fancy. Do not discount the importance of making things look fancy in the eyes of a small child. Pancakes are nice, but when Mom or Dad makes waffles, the kids feel like they must be pretty special. Add some whipped cream and they're the Kings of the World. If you spend a little time on Pinterest, you can come up with a bunch of varied uses, from brownies to tater tots to cinnamon rolls, but even if you never make anything with your waffle maker except for waffles, it's still worth having.

Big Silicone Measuring Cup

I married into this baby, and now I don't know how I ever lived without it! First of all, it holds a full 4 cups, so I don't have to bother with filling my 2-cup glass measuring cup multiple times. Second, it's lightweight, so even when it's filled with 4 cups of water, it's not too heavy to lift with one hand. Third, it's flexible so you can grab it easily and squeeze the top to make whatever size pouring spout you need (ideal for making pancakes!). But as if that weren't enough, it's also deep enough to double as a mixing bowl that kids can stir in without splashing (also ideal for making pancakes), and it squeezes so little hands can hold it steady. The markings are dark and easy to read and don't come off in the dishwasher. Oh, and speaking of the dishwasher, since it's so flexible, you can wedge it into whatever space is left once you've filled the washer with all your other cooking tools. And, if your cabinets look like mine, you'll also find it handy that you can squash it into whatever space you have in the cabinet for storage.

Pie Slice Lifter

You probably don't think you need this sucker, but if you have EVER made a pie for company and been embarrassed by the disaster of serving that first slice, you need this. Tuck it in the pie plate before you put the crust down, and when you're ready to serve the pie, cut the first slice on either side of the visible edge. Then simply lift out that perfect slice - and it will be perfect! Even a slightly unset lemon meringue or pecan pie will come out neatly and cleanly. It doesn't even take up any room in your cabinets, because you can just leave it tucked inside the pie plate.

Dishwasher

It's not glamorous, but an automatic dishwasher is an even bigger timesaver than a crock pot. My beautiful LG washer barely requires rinsing of dishes, and holds an entire day's worth of dishes and silverware (and with my kids, drink cups alone can fill the top rack in less than a day)! I even put pots and pans, sharp knives, and the occasional wine glass in my washer, and they all come out perfectly. Much like the crock pot, I dump everything in, push a button, and come back hours later to find everything finished and ready to go.

Acrylic Wine Glasses

  

One of these wineglasses is crystal; one is acrylic. Can you tell the difference? I doubt it. But one of them can be dropped on the pool deck without fear of shards of glass meeting up with small feet. One of them can be used without fear to let a small person join a celebration and feel like a grown up. One of them costs 6 bucks a pop at Crate and Barrel (the other is 2 for $55 at Macys). Granted, one of them results in a disappointing "clunk" rather than a satisfying "clink" when toasting, but otherwise, acrylic glasses are convenient, inexpensive, and safe. (And in case you were wondering, the acrylic glass is the one on top.)

A Really Good Sharp Knife

About ten years ago, I hosted a Pampered Chef party, and splurged on a really good kitchen knife. This particular knife is a 10-inch Santoku that I use for EVERYTHING. It has a very keen edge (and is still plenty sharp after ten years of liberal use and many trips through the dishwasher), has just enough weight to it that it's easy to use, and the handle is perfectly balanced. It also came with a heavy plastic sheath so I can safely keep it in a drawer instead of trying to find a knife block with a large enough space for the wide blade. It makes slicing veggies a pleasure instead of a chore. 

So what's in YOUR kitchen that makes your culinary life easier and more fun?!??

What a Crock

Having grown up in New England, it should come as no surprise that autumn is my favorite season. I love seeing the first pop of red at the top of a maple tree, I love the way the sun glows on all the brightly-colored trees along Route 128, I love the smell of fresh mulch and burning leaves, I love the crunch of crisp fallen leaves underfoot, I love the pumpkins and huge pots of mums that suddenly pop up on doorsteps everywhere. But one of the things I love the most about autumn is cooking.

My mom was a great comfort food cook. She taught me to make wonderful casseroles, meatloaf, stew, and pasta sauces. And most importantly, she taught me how to use a crock pot. I love cooking with a crock pot. I think one of the things I like best about cooking in a crock pot is that it makes the house smell wonderful, not just at suppertime but all day long. It builds the anticipation from lunchtime on, giving you little hints about the wonderful meal to come. The scent of garlic, of thyme, of bay leaves, of chicken stock, of smoky ham or spicy sausage or earthy lentils. It smells like love, and it smells like home.

My dad worked the same job for over 40 years, and we had supper as soon as he came home from work at 5:00. So every night, he would walk in the door to the smell of something delicious coming out of the oven (or the crockpot). It was like a little welcome home present every night. When I was a little older and my mom got home from work at the same time that my dad did, she would leave me nearly-finished meals to add the final touches to. I would pop the lasagna or the shepherd’s pie into the oven; I would stir a few extra herbs into the simmering sauce in the crockpot; I would bake the cornbread or the biscuits. And whenever I did, I felt like I was giving both my parents that same welcome home present at the end of a long, tiring day.

This may sound like a very old-fashioned attitude, but I love to be able to give my husband that same welcome home present. I know how hard he works, and I like to show him that I appreciate his hard work. So I hope that every night when he comes home from work, he can smell in my cooking the same love my mom cooked up for my dad.

It might not work for everyone, but for me, cooking for my family makes my house feel more like a home.